Veterinary Diagnostics

Diabetic animals also produce high levels of fructosamine, a molecule in which glucose in the blood binds to certain blood proteins in a process called glycation. Measuring fructosamine levels gives a much more accurate assessment of an animal’s glycemic control than measuring glucose, as the latter fluctuates throughout the day. Monitoring fructosamine over time, like the monitoring of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in humans, allows the vet to assess the effectiveness of treatment. Catachem has a single liquid stable fructosamine reagent for this purpose.

Potassium bromide is a drug used alongside phenobarbital to control nervous system disorders in dogs. Like most drugs, it can be toxic at high levels. As dogs are genetically variable in size, it is important to measure the levels of circulating bromide in the animal’s blood to ensure correct dosing.

Catachem’s bromide reagent can accurately test from the lowest level of detection of 5 mg/dL to 400 mg/dL. Toxicity in most dogs starts at around 120 mg/dL, with the animal becoming lethargic. As levels increase, animals can become comatose.

Normal plasma should not contain free hemoglobin. If blood is taken from an animal and is processed or manipulated in any way (dialysis, heart pump, etc.), or if the animal has suffered intravascular hemolysis caused by a number of disease states, damage to the red blood cells will be evident as hemoglobin is released into the plasma. Catachem has developed an extremely sensitive assay to accurately measure tiny amounts of hemoglobin that may be present in a plasma sample.

This test can be run on most clinical chemistry analyzers, unlike those in the past. The test is sensitive and accurate enough to measure hemoglobin at levels approaching 2 mg/dL (1.2 µmol/L) and demonstrates linearity on most analyzers to 100 mg/dL (60 µmol/L).

Ethylene glycol is a key component in most antifreeze products. The ingestion of ethylene glycol can quickly poison the patient and lead to irreversible liver and kidney damage if not quickly diagnosed and treated. If ethylene glycol is shown to be present in a patient’s blood, treatment is relatively simple.

Catachem has developed an accurate quantitative test (C504-0A) that determines ethylene glycol levels. Values obtained on Catachem’s quantitative test reagent compare closely to values obtained on GC/MS methods (Am.J.Clin.Pathol. 2011, 136:165-6). Catachem’s product has been designed to effectively eliminate interferences from propylene glycol, a secondary component in some antifreeze products that is also used as an additive in some human foodstuffs.

NOTE: The antidote 4-methylpyrazole (fomepizole), shows no interference to a level of 120mg/L. A typical target range for treatment is 8 – 25mg/L.

(Annals of Clinical Biochemistry, Robson et al, 09, 2016)

Catachem’s qualitative in-office test requires no instrumentation and uses the same enzymatic technology as its quantitative partner. Although it is subject to somewhat more interference, the test offers the veterinarian a useful tool in an emergency, time-sensitive situation. The test kit comes with all components needed to evaluate whether an animal has ingested ethylene glycol. Each test uses a parallel control to ensure that reading errors are eliminated. The C504-0B kit includes material to carry out three individual tests.

NOTE: No interference was found from 4-methylpyrazole pyrazole (fomepizole), the common antidote, which was tested to a level of 3,000 mg/dL (30 g/L). Click here for a demonstration of the ethylene glycol qualitative test.

This test is designed for the low-volume user for use on a simple spectrophotometer (340 nm wavelength). It provides three semi-quantitative tests, each with low and high controls. Every kit is designed for one-time use directly off the shelf with a shelf life of approximately 18 months.

Mirroring Catachem’s quantitative test formulation, it is not subject to common interferences like propylene glycol. The format of the kit involving the use of both low and high controls during each test run eliminates any need for additional calibration.

GldH or GDH exhibits activity in the liver, kidney, pancreas and brain. The enzyme’s activity in blood serum is used to differentiate between different types of liver diseases. In large animals, and as noted more recently in laboratory mice, GlDH levels can increase while transaminase levels (ALT and AST) remain relatively constant. The GlDH assay is therefore very useful during drug development where general liver inflammation may often show no elevation in ALT and AST, hepatocyte necrosis will show elevated serum GldH levels.

GldH measurement has also been used in detecting Clostridium difficile infection (J. Clin. Microbial. 2010, 48(8) 3050). Catachem’s product is a UV method utilizing a single stable liquid reagent. Applications are available for most chemistry analyzers. This reagent has an 24-month shelf life.