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

The student already has notions of general pathology and is able to apply to the clinical practice the acquired knowledge concerning the biochemistry and clinical molecular biology, the normal morphology and the physiological functioning of different organs (Didactic regulation: Art. 4 - Attendance and preparatory courses https://corsi.unibo.it/magistralecu/MedicinaVeterinaria/propedeuticita). The course "Methods of clinical veterinary biochemistry" aims to provide students with theoretical knowledge to prescribe and interpret laboratory diagnostic tests and practical skills to perform the main diagnostic tests of clinical biochemistry in different animal species. The course program (syllabus https://corsi.unibo.it/magistralecu/MedicinaVeterinaria/syllabi-terzo-anno/35482-metodologie-di-biochimica-clinica-andreani-1.pdf) will touch the following 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 (possible laboratory activity in small groups of 2-3 students). 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 assays for hepatic disorders (possible laboratory activity in small groups of 2-3 students), muscolar enzymatic biomarkers.

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

Glucidic metabolism: esokinse assay for glicaemia determination (possible laboratory activity in small groups of 2-3 students); follow up with laboratory test of the diabetic patient.

Serum total protein analysis: protein electrophoresis (possible laboratory activity in small groups of 2-3 students), 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.

Villiers E. Ristic J. Gli esami di laboratorio. Indicazioni, esecuzione, interpretazione. Cane e gatto. A cura di S. Paltrinieri , A. Giordano, F. Dondi BSAVA 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 ( 16 hours) and practical work (6x4 hours).

The lectures will take place with the help of power point presentations and the contents of each topic will be completed with presentation of clinical cases, discussions of papers and game based learning in order to encourage interaction between teacher and students.

The practical lessons in the laboratory will be carried out by dividing the students into 4 groups, to each of whom the same hours of activity will be dedicated. The objective of the practical lessons is to provide students with the skills necessary to independently perform a laboratory diagnostic protocol; for this reason, the single student or small groups of 2-3 stedents can apply 3 different protocols of biochemical tests, chosen from 6 proposed by the teacher. To be able to attend the practical activities carried out in the educational laboratory it is mandatory to wear a lab coat. When necessary, PPE will also be provided for the performance of specific activities, such as for example disposable gloves and safety glasses.

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 is two hours.

This test aims to assess the achievement of the main didactic objective of the course, that is the ability to perform and report the results of the main laboratory diagnostic tests in veterinary clinical practice. The use of supporting material such as textbooks, notes or computer media is not allowed during the test

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 every month.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations, educational laboratory equipped with suitable instruments (spectrophotometers, microscopes, power supplies, centrifuges, electrophoretic cells) with individual workstations.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Andreani