Labrini Vasileiou Athanasiou - Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
Zoe Polizopoulou - Diagnostic Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Maria Rafaela Kalafati - Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
George Ntararas - Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
Vasileios Kontos - National School of Public Health, Department of Veterinary Public Health, Athens, Greece

To assess the effects of pre-analytical handling (storage time and temperature) on selected hematological parameters, whole blood samples were collected in EDTA coated tubes from each of ۳۰ clinically normal male adult beagle dogs. Each sample was separated in ۲ aliquots, of which one was stored in ambient temperature (۲۵ ˚C) and the other one was refrigerated (۲ to ۴ ˚C). Complete blood counts were performed in ۱, ۲.۵, ۵, ۱۲, ۲۴, ۳۶ and ۶۰ hr post-sampling for each aliquot of every sample using a flow cytometer. Packed cell volume values remained stable in the samples kept in room temperature (RT), whereas a significant increase was noted in the refrigerated ones ۲۴ hr post-sampling. Statistically significant increases in red blood cell counts were noted after ۲۴hr in the samples stored in ۲ to ۴ ˚C and after ۱۲ hr in those kept in RT. No significant changes were observed in haemoglobin concentration. A significant decrease was evident only ۶۰ hr post-sampling for the white blood cells kept in RT, but not for those kept in ۲ to ۴ ˚C. Platelet counts significantly decreased after ۲۴ hr in the refrigerated aliquots and after ۵ hr in those kept in RT. The results of this study indicate that storage of blood samples for up to ۲۴ hr in ۲ to ۴ ˚C is associated with the least artifactual changes.

Complete blood count, Dog, Hematology, stability, Temperature