Performing a Slide Agglutination Test
Posted: Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 | Updated: Sunday, March 3rd, 2024
Posted: Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 | Updated: Sunday, March 3rd, 2024
Sample Collection
Collecting blood and preserving the sample in an EDTA tube is the standard method used for the slide agglutination test. If the sample was refrigerated, let it warm up to room temperature before evaluation
Performing the Slide Agglutination Test
Place a very small drop of blood on the microscope slide. Place another very small drop of 0.9% NaCl on the slide mixing it with the initial drop of blood. Rock the slide back and forth making sure to observe any obvious agglutination. Looking at the slide in good lighting helps with this process. Rouleaux will disperse nicely with saline and will often appear as neatly stacked RBC upon microscopic evaluation. Agglutination appears as irregular RBC clumping that tends not to disperse with saline. Macroagglutination will be obvious if occurring. Sometimes the agglutination is so severe you'll be able to visualize it in the EDTA tube itself as seen above. Microagglutination will need to be verified via microscopic evaluation
Agglutination Scale
0 = no agglutination, 1+ = small amount of agglutination or small agglutinates, 2+ = moderate amount of agglutination or moderately sized agglutinates, 3+ = severe amount of agglutination dispersed into a few large agglutinates, 4+ = severe amount of agglutination in one solid clump
Collecting blood and preserving the sample in an EDTA tube is the standard method used for the slide agglutination test. If the sample was refrigerated, let it warm up to room temperature before evaluation
Performing the Slide Agglutination Test
Place a very small drop of blood on the microscope slide. Place another very small drop of 0.9% NaCl on the slide mixing it with the initial drop of blood. Rock the slide back and forth making sure to observe any obvious agglutination. Looking at the slide in good lighting helps with this process. Rouleaux will disperse nicely with saline and will often appear as neatly stacked RBC upon microscopic evaluation. Agglutination appears as irregular RBC clumping that tends not to disperse with saline. Macroagglutination will be obvious if occurring. Sometimes the agglutination is so severe you'll be able to visualize it in the EDTA tube itself as seen above. Microagglutination will need to be verified via microscopic evaluation
Agglutination Scale
0 = no agglutination, 1+ = small amount of agglutination or small agglutinates, 2+ = moderate amount of agglutination or moderately sized agglutinates, 3+ = severe amount of agglutination dispersed into a few large agglutinates, 4+ = severe amount of agglutination in one solid clump
Sources:
Nusbaum, Rebecca. "Blood Transfusions in Anemic Dogs and Cats". Today's Veterinary Nurse. vol. 4, no. 3. Summer 2021. pp. 49-59.
On The Job Training and Routine Practices
Nusbaum, Rebecca. "Blood Transfusions in Anemic Dogs and Cats". Today's Veterinary Nurse. vol. 4, no. 3. Summer 2021. pp. 49-59.
On The Job Training and Routine Practices
