Page 377 - The Veterinary Laboratory and Field Manual 3rd Edition

346 Susan C. Cork, Willy Schauwers and Roy Halliwell

Figure 7.12 Standard dilution technique for a 1 : 10 serial dilution and a 1 : 2 serial dilution.

preliminary assessments. Other manual tests are reasonably easy to carry out and has been found
described in the reference texts listed at the end to be a fairly reliable indirect indicator of liver
of the chapter. The reagents used in the follow- function. A healthy liver produces albumin, a
ing tests are easily obtained from most suppliers protein required by the body, and gamma globu-
of reagents (see Appendix 4). lin which is required for immune function.
Iodine forms a precipitate with gamma globu-
lins when the level of albumin in the blood is
Iodine flocculation test for liver function
reduced, this occurs following liver damage. In
PrIncIPLE the normal animal, there is sufficient albumin
Many tests are available for the assessment of in the blood to prevent iodine flocculation of
liver function and all have their advantages and gamma globulins in this test but as liver dam-
disadvantages. The iodine flocculation test is age progresses the amount of gamma globulin

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