Comparison of the bovine blood gas parameters produced with three types of portable blood gas analyzers

Abstract

Background A definite diagnosis should be made in the bovine practice field, however, it was difficult to perform laboratory analysis immediately. Currently, three types of portable blood gas analyzers are available in Korea. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the correlations among these three analyzers. Methods Seventy-two plasma samples from Holstein-Friesian cows were used for blood gas analysis, and three instruments (EDAN i15 Vet, VETSCAN i-STAT, and EPOC) were operated simultaneously. Moreover, plasma calcium levels were compared between these portable analyzers and blood chemistry device, which is usually used in a laboratory environment. Pearson analysis was performed to confirm the correlation of each parameter produced with the three instruments and blood chemistry analyzer. Results As results, high correlation was observed in parameters of pH, pO 2 , potassium ion, ionized calcium, and glucose ( p < 0.001, r > 0.7). In addition, pCO 2 showed a moderate correlation among the three analyzers ( p < 0.001, r > 0.5), and there was no correlation among all instruments for sodium ions. There was also a high correlation between ionized calcium from the three portable devices and total calcium from the biochemistry analyzer ( p < 0.001, r > 0.9). Conclusions In conclusion, there was a high correlation between results from the three different blood gas analyzers used in the bovine clinical field in Korea. Thus, a consistent diagnosis can be made even with different equipment if the operator is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each piece of equipment and operates it properly.

Blood gases, acid‐base, and metabolic alterations in calves with bronchopneumonia diagnosed via clinical signs and thoracic ultrasonography: A cross‐sectional study

“…After the procedure, the needle was removed from the artery and closed with a rubber stopper. The syringe was not disconnected from the butterfly needle until the blood gas analysis had been immediately carried out on farm using an automated blood gas analyzer (EPOC Vet, Epocal Inc, Ottawa, Canada) commonly used in cattle practice 19,20 that directly measures or calculates several variables (https:// www.woodleyequipment.com/docs/user_guide_english.pdf). The samples were processed following the manufacturer's guidelines.…”