Abstract
The accuracy in measuring total thyroxine concentration (tT4) with a portable blood chemical analyzer (VetScan®) was evaluated in healthy dogs. This apparatus has the advantage of doing multiple chemical blood tests at one time, requiring only 100μl of whole blood. Reproducibility tests were performed ten times for each sample from each dog. Dilution tests were also performed using physiological saline or serum of two different tT4 concentration. The results of these tests showed excellent reproducibility and dilution reproducibility. As to the influence of interference substances, chyle was found to be the most influential. Since tT4 values tend to be measured less than theoretical ones due to the presence of chyle, an improvement in this point might be necessary for future use. Correlation tests on tT4 with the RIA method and the FPIA method were performed, and high coefficients were obtained between the values from the VetScan® and those from the RIA method and from the FPIA method. From these results, VetScan® could be considered useful for diagnosis by exclusion of hypothyroidism in an emergency or for monitoring during the administration of thyroid.
