IDEXX VetLab® UA™ Analyser
Easy, efficient and consistent
 The IDEXX VetLab® UA™ Analyser is simple to operate, improves work flow and produces consistent, automatically printed results. The IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser connects to the IDEXX VetLab® Station, a laboratory information management system that collects all results into an electronic medical record and prints them on an integrated report for easy interpretation. IDEXX UA™ Strips are designed and validated for veterinary use only, so you don’t need to wonder if your canine, feline or equine results are valid. Strips can be used manually or with the IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser.
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Easy and efficient—Results you can count on in about 80 seconds
Standardised operation and automation—The IDEXX VetLab® UA™ Analyser provides consistent results through automation; human error is all but eliminated.
One-button operation—Use a pipette to flood the strip with the urine sample, place it in the analyser, press a button and walk away.
Efficiency—Automatically reads and prints results, saving you time and reducing the chance for mistakes.
Printout—Results are included in the IDEXX VetLab® integrated report, offering you a tool you can use with your clients as you explain the results and recommendations.
Speed—The IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser provides results in approximately 80 seconds.
Reflectance photometer reads IDEXX UA™ Strips
The IDEXX UA test strip is placed on a sliding tray that moves the strip into the analyser and under the reading head. The analyser reads the reference pad first, and then reads each of the test pads on the strip.
Note: Only IDEXX UA Strips can be used with the IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser.
Measuring Principle
The analyser contains light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit light at various wavelengths.
Reading is done electro-optically:
- The LED emits light of a defined wavelength onto the surface of the test pad at an optimum angle.
- The light hitting the test zone is reflected more or less intensely depending on the colour produced on the test pad, and is picked up by the detector, a phototransistor positioned directly above the test zone.
- The phototransistor sends an analogue electrical signal to an A/D converter, which changes it to digital form.
- The microprocessor then converts this digital reading to a relative reflectance value by referring it to a calibration standard.
- Finally, the analyser compares the reflectance value with the defined range limits (reflectance values that are programmed into the analyser for each parameter) and outputs a semiquantitative result.
Each test pad on the IDEXX UA Strip is read photometrically, producing results in approximately 80 seconds.
IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser Specifications
| Dimensions | Width: approximately 6 in (150 mm)
Depth: approximately 11.5 in (290 mm)
Height: approximately 3.7 in (94 mm)
Weight: approximately 1.7 lb (0.8 kg) |
| Power Supply | External power adapter, Model SA 125A-0735U-S (Sino-American)
Input: 100—240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 800 mA
Output: 7.5 V DC, 3000 mA |
| Consumption | Operating: maximum 15 W
Standby: 1.3 W |
| System Description | Type: reflectance photometer
Light source: 6 LEDs
Wavelengths: 565 nm (green) 3x
610 nm (orange) 3x
Reader head: 1 head with 6 LEDs
Measuring cycle: approximately 80 seconds
Maximum throughput: approximately 45 strips/hour
Printer: thermal printer
Display: liquid crystal display, two lines of 24 characters each
Memory: 100 samples
Date/time: integrated clock |
| Operating Conditions | Temperature: 59º–90ºF (15º–32ºC)
Storage: -4º–158ºF (-20º–70ºC) |
| Optimum Operating Conditions | Temperature: 68º–78ºF (20º–26ºC)
Relative humidity: 30%–60% |
Results in approximately 80 seconds The IDEXX VetLab® UA™ Analyser is easy to use! 1. Apply urine to the strip. | | 3. Place it in the analyser. |
4. Press the button, walk away. | | |
That’s it!
Results are ready in approximately 80 seconds and integrated into your complete IDEXX VetLab patient report. |
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Frequently asked questions for the IDEXX VetLab® UA™ Analyser
What is a complete urinalysis (UA)? 
A complete UA includes physical, chemical and microscopic examinations:
- Observation of urine colour and clarity
- Urine specific gravity measured by veterinary refractometer
- Measurement of urine chemical properties (i.e. pH, bilirubin, glucose, occult blood and ketones)
- Microscopic examination of urine sediment
When is complete urinalysis indicated?
Primary indications for complete UA include:
- Any time you suspect a urinary tract infection or urinary tract disease
- Whenever a CBC and clinical chemistry are indicated
- Monitoring disease progression or response to therapy
- Senior Preventative Healthcare Programs: Complete UA is an element of minimum laboratory database in aged (> 7 years old) cats and dogs.1
- Debilitated or ill patients: Kidneys can be damaged by a variety of non-renal diseases such as immune-mediated disorders, neoplasia, sepsis, tick-borne diseases, viral infections, heartworm infection, severe inflammatory disorders (e.g. dental disease, inflammatory bowel disease, pyoderma) and metabolic disorders (e.g. hyperadrenocorticism, hyperthyroidism).
- Hypoalbuminaemia: Complete UA is an important tool for the diagnosis and localisation of protein-losing glomerulopathies and for differentiating this from other causes of decreased serum albumin concentration.
- Clinical suspicion of renal disease: Complete UA is warranted when clinical and laboratory information suggest renal disease, such as azotemia, polyuria/polydipsia, pollakiuria, or radiographic and ultrasonographic kidney abnormalities.
- To determine the cause for inappropriate elimination or urinary tract-related behavioral disorders
Reference
1.
AAHA Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats [see Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (2005) 41:81–91] and AAFP and Academy of Feline Medicine, Panel Report of Feline Senior Care [see Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2005) 7:3–32].
Does the method of urine collection matter?
Yes, collection method and urine storage container can influence results or affect ability to compare subsequent or follow-up UA results.
- It is recommended for an individual patient that all complete UAs be performed on urine collected in a similar manner.
- Owner-improvised urine containers should be discouraged.
- Sterile containers provided by a hospital are recommended with urine intended for bacteriologic culture and sensitivity.
Why should leukocyte results be verified with microscopy?
Studies in cats show that leukocyte esterase tests are nonspecific for the detection of pyuria, which means that most urine will be positive for leukocytes when none are present. In both dogs and cats, leukocyte esterase tests are insensitive for the detection of pyuria, which means that urine can be negative for leukocytes when leukocytes are present.
Why should urine dipsticks not be used to read specific gravity in veterinary samples?
Urine specific gravity, as offered on other urine dipsticks, was designed for use in human medicine only. For veterinary samples, which have a significantly broader range of pH, the test is unreliable. As noted in Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology by Stockham and Scott (pg 304), “the reagent strip method is not recommended for estimation of urine solute concentration or specific gravity in urine of domestic mammals.” Furthermore, urine dipstick specific gravity pads only measure up to 1.025 and are inadequate for measuring the urine concentrating abilities of dogs and cats, which are typically greater than 1.040. The refractometer is more precise and has a more appropriate testing range.
Can I dip the whole strip in the urine sample or should I apply urine to each pad with a syringe?
The recommended procedure is to use a pipette to flood the IDEXX UA Strip with the urine sample, making sure that all the test pads are moistened.
Because of the matrix design of IDEXX UA Strips, runoff of reagent from one test to its neighboring tests is very unlikely. Immediately after flooding the IDEXX UA Strip with urine, the long edge and back side of the strips should be blotted on an absorbent paper to remove excess urine.
How often does the analyser need calibration?
Calibrate the IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser once a week using IDEXX VetLab® UA™ Calibration Strips. The calibration procedure takes less than two minutes. Please refer to the Quick Reference Guide or Operator’s Manual for the calibration procedure.
Why are there no reference ranges for the urinalysis results?
A urinalysis includes a semi-quantitative measurement of both chemical contents and formed elements such as cells and casts. During different states of hydration and normal kidney function, these components will have variable concentrations in the urine making it impossible to identify one set of reference intervals. Interpret results in conjunction with the urine concentration (urine specific gravity).
If the urine is blood-tinged or opaque will that affect results?
IDEXX UA Strips have a colour compensation pad. The IDEXX VetLab UA Analyser reads the compensation pad first and automatically adjusts for the variability in the urine colour. This will help to minimise any artifacts or changes from discoloured urine. Moderate to severe alterations in urine colour should be noted in the record and the results should be analysed with these changes in mind.
Each of the components is an integral part of the IDEXX in-house laboratory for veterinary practices.
