General FAQ
For transactions within the US, we accept all major credit cards, PayPal, checks and bank wire transfers. For international transactions we accept Paypal and bank wire transfers. Please contact us directly if you wish to pay by check or wire transfer.
Most items ship within 24-72 hours with cleared payment. Each item is re-inspected prior to shipment and carefully packaged. Items are shipped Via USPS, UPS or Fed Ex ground. Delivery time varies based on client location. Please contact us if you need your item expedited and we will facilitate your request.
All customers making purchases outside the United States may be subject to duties/VAT/import taxes. If your country charges a VAT, this charge is completely separate from your purchase from Allied Analytic. International customers are 100% responsible for paying their duties/VAT/import taxes and clearing their items through customs. Duties/VAT/import taxes are typically charged as a percentage of the total sale as reported on customs forms for exportation. Please contact your local customs office for more information.
Unfortunately we do not sell them at this time. Please contact your distributor or the machine’s manufacturer to purchase consumables.
Most of our international customers do not have a problem ordering consumables from distributors abroad. Manufacturers have representatives in mostly any region that can help you purchase consumables. If you are having trouble finding a source for consumables in your area, please contact us at alliedanalytic@gmail.com so that we may assist.
This depends on the machine and the software. Please contact your software provider. They often have pages dedicated to the interfacing of analyzers with their software
Yes, we accept trade-in equipment and purchase used equipment on a case-by-case basis. Trade-in’s are credited toward the purchase of other equipment on our website. Please fill out the contact form or send us an email with details and photos for the equipment you with to trade in. We will then evaluate the trade-in and give you a credit value if we accept the item.
Yes! We ship anywhere and everywhere that UPS, Fed Ex or USPS will deliver.
Shipping is FREE within the United States. International customers are charged a flat rate of $150 for shipping.
From time to time our customers have initial set-up questions. Most answers can be found in the machine’s manual but we are more than happy to help with any question, anytime. Please email us at alliedanalytic@gmail.com for a technician to most efficiently help with your set-up question.
Abaxis VS2 Chemistry Analyzer FAQ
No, we do not sell the rotors that are used with the Abaxis VS2 analyzer. VetScan profiles are conveniently packaged as single-use plastic rotors. Please contact the manufacturer or your distributor to purchase these consumables.
You should frequently clean or replace the filter that covers the fan in the rear of the unit to avoid overheating.
Before loading a rotor into the tray you should always wipe down any residual fluid from the surface of the rotor. When the rotor spins up to speed, any residual fluid that remains on the rotor can splatter onto the optics that analyze results, causing the machine to report errors.
Yes, please check with your practice management software supplier for updates/details.
Yes it is, no adapter is needed. Power Supply Specs: 100-240 volts AC, 50-60 Hz; or 12 volts DC
No, the VS2 does not require calibration as it is self-calibrating each time a rotor is used.
Abaxis Vetscan HM5 FAQ
No, unfortunately at this time we do not sell reagents that are used with this analyzer. Please contact the manufacturer or your distributor to purchase these consumables.
The reagent status needs to be reset. Press Utilities, Maintenance, reagent status, change. This will reset the volume to 100% for the reagents and 0% for waste and change the install date to today’s date.
Prior to shipping we bleach and flush the internal tubing of each machine in order to kill any bacterial growth because when present it can be miscounted as platelets. Sterilization is a very high bench mark and bacterial growth can occur while the machine is in transit. Because of this, sometimes the process needs to be repeated after it arrives to your clinic.
Prepare a 1:10 solution of bleach to distilled water and hook it up to the rear of your machine. Under the utilities menu select the maintenance option and then the bleach cycle option and follow the onscreen instructions. We recommend pausing for a few minutes once the bleach solution has been drawn into the machine to allow it to work.
Once you have successfully completed the bleach cycle the tubes must be flushed thoroughly. We recommend using the automatic cleaning cycle option to do this. Sometimes more than one attempt is necessary to return the platelet level to a level low enough to obtain a successful blank reading, but you will see the levels drop with the completion of each attempt until they are within the acceptable range
Yes it is, no adapter is needed. Power Supply Specs: 100-240 volts AC, 50-60 Hz; or 12 volts DC
The throughput of the reagent pack varies depending on the number of tests you run a day. The more tests run in a day, the more you’ll get from your reagent pack. Clinics that typically run 3-6 tests a day typically receive 90-120 tests from their reagent pack. However, running extra cleaning, priming, and blanking will increase the consumption of the reagent pack, therefore decreasing the reagent pack yield. Properly maintaining the VetScan HM5 will also help increase the yield of the reagent pack.
Yes, Please check with your practice management software supplier for updates/details.
A blank measurement checks the cleanliness of the VetScan HM5 fluidics systems, and is used to establish a baseline for sample measurements. The results of a blank are used to determine if the background will affect the test results, and whether the analyzer needs cleaning or maintenance. A blank must be run every 12 hours. Each blank measurement remains valid for 12 hours of continuous operation, after which the analyzer displays “BLANK needed,” and a new blank must be run to reset the instrument to begin testing.
Platelet clumping is a fairly common occurrence, especially in feline samples. This clumping may prevent accurate counting by both automated systems and manual slide counting. There are, however, a number of methods you may employ to minimize platelet clumping.
Preventative Measures:
-Draw sample from medial saphenous vein while the cat is held in a lateral recumbent position; stroke gently to reduce stress.
-Draw sample directly into EDTA tube (e.g. Monovette system) and mix thoroughly, immediately (or transfer immediately to EDTA tube from syringe and mix thoroughly).
NOTE: Even with these preventative measures, feline platelet clumping is not always avoidable but can be minimized.
We have personally tested and recommend the HP Envy 5530 for use with the Abaxis HM5. For a current list of compatible printers, contact Technical Support or refer to your operators’ manual (see page 3-3).
Fifteen species profiles are configured on the VetScan HM5.
In 5-part differential mode: Dog, Cat, Horse, Cow, Alpaca, and Llama.
In the 3-part differential mode, currently validated species are: mouse, rabbit, rat, ferret, pig, goat, monkey, sheep and guinea pig
Hematology analyses require EDTA-treated blood (from lavender or purple top tubes containing potassium EDTA only). It is important to ensure that your sample is well mixed and contains optimal proportions of blood and EDTA. The following guidelines should be followed: Fill each tube at least half-full with blood to eliminate dilution errors. Thoroughly mix each sample by gently inverting the filled potassium EDTA sample tube by hand 10 to 15 times to avoid clot formation. If possible, run the sample immediately after mixing. If testing is delayed and the sample is placed on a rocker, be sure to mix it thoroughly again before analysis by gently inverting the tube 10 to 15 times. This ensures the homogeneity of the sample. Do not shake samples. Doing so can damage the blood cells, and can form micro-bubbles that will cause inaccurate results.
Never use a rocker for samples smaller than 1.0 ml. Rockers do not mix samples. Feline samples frequently demonstrate platelet aggregations (clumps). Vortex mixing for up to 10 seconds can disaggregate these clumps with no adverse effect on the sample. Some practitioners find that collecting blood from the medial saphenous vein using a vacutainer minimizes platelet clumping.
The VetScan HM5 uses a combination of chemical differentiation and impedance technology to provide the 5-part WBC differential. With impedance technology, electrically neutral blood cells generate an electrical pulse as they each pass through an electronically charged aperture. Cell counts are determined by the number of pulses measured in a given volume of blood over a set period of time. The size of the pulse generated is directly proportional to the volume of each cell. This size discrimination, along with susceptibility to various lysing agents, distinguishes the cell types and provides basis for the 5-part differential. The size of the VetScan HM5 aperture was specifically designed to accommodate veterinary blood cells, thereby providing optimal differentiation.
2-3 minutes- or nearly 20 samples per hour in five-part mode