35482 - Methods for Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the most important laboratory tests and biochemical techniques applied in the veterinary medicine.

Course contents

General laboratory concepts: analitycal variability, reference values and quality control. Autoanalyzer in veterinary clinical biochemistry: calibration, sensibility and sensitivity of a method;Ultraviolet-Visible and Visible Spectrophotometry.

Sampling techniques: anticoagulants, preanalytical errors, centrifugation.

Artifacts in biochemical determinations: hemolysis, causes of color interference, lipemia.

Urinalysis: color and turbidity, chimical analysis, measurement of specific gravity, microscopic analysis of the sediment. Proteinuria: urine-creatinine ratio, urine electrophoresis. Urinary disorders.

Complete blood count: hemocitometer, automated hematology cell counters, hemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte indices. Blood smear analysis: leukocyte estimation, platelet estimation.

Enzymes in veterinary medicine: enzymatic biomarkers in hepatic disorders, muscolar enzymatic biomarkers.

Non enzymatic assays for monitoring hepatic (bilirubin) and renal function (urea and creatinine tests).

Glucidic metabolism: esokinse assay for glicaemia determination; follow up with laboratory test of the diabetic patient

Serum total protein analysis: protein electrophoresis, causes of altered electrophoretic patterns.

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching material used during the lessons can be found on the website: https://iol.unibo.it [https://iol.unibo.it/].

Consultation of the following texts is recommended for the study of topics of particular interest:

Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, 6th Edition, Douglas J. Weiss (Editor), K. Jane Wardrop (Editor) Jul 2010, Wiley-Blackwell.

MG Kerr Veterinary Laboratory Medicine, 2nd Edition, Blackwell Science Ed.

Meyer D. J., Harvey J. W. - Veterinary laboratory medicine: interpretation and diagnosis - Delfino Editore, 2007, 3rd edition.

J.J. Kaneko, J.W. Harvey, M.L. Bruss - Clinical biochemistry of domestic animals. AP Press, sixth edition, 2008.

Teaching methods

Ex cathedra and practical work. Practical work is be considered very important: students can be perform individually assays for determining serum protein concentrations by Lowry method, urinary creatinine by Jaffè method and ematic glucose concentration by esokinase method.

Assessment methods

The exam for the module "Methods of clinical veterinary biochemistry" component of the integrated course METHODOLOGY, CLINICAL PATHOLOGY AND LEGAL MEDICINE, provides a final written test, with 8 multiple choice questions and 3 open questions and the final grade will be weighted on the CFU of each course of the integrated course.

The duration of the written test that aims to assess the acquisition of knowledge provided by the course program and their use in solving problems, is two hours.

Ongoing assessments or self-assessment tests (optional) may be carried out during the course, upon agreement with the students

Students can book for the exam exclusively using the methods provided by the AlmaEsami online system. For any information on how to book, connect to the site: (https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm).

The dates of the appeals are fixed inside the examination windows and also outside, generally an appeal every month.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint presentations will illustrate the course contents.

The practical work in laboratory is considered very important. It is mandatory to wear a lab coat for access to the teaching laboratory. When necessary, PPEs will also be provided for carrying out specific activities, such as single-use gloves and safety goggles.

Students with special needs are invited to contact the teacher by e-mail to illustrate them and to organize the teaching and examinations in the best possible way.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Andreani