# Color of Blood Drawing Tubes



## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

I know somewhere I saw a listing of the different color of blood collection tubes for each specific test one was drawing for. I did a search for it but can not find it. Does anyone have it or know what they are?

Thanks,

Vicki in NC


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

Check out this site: http://www.legacyhealth.org/body.cfm?id=813


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Janie,

Thank you for the link. It was helpful somewhat. I was looking for the specific goat tests. I don't know, does it even matter? Do you have to have certain color tops for specific goat tests? CAE? CL? etc.? I know you do in humans.

Vicki in NC


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## crocee (Jul 30, 2008)

As long as it was a plain tube with no additives, would it matter as long as you specified what tests you wanted?
Andi


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## Guest (Jul 31, 2008)

crocee said:


> As long as it was a plain tube with no additives, would it matter as long as you specified what tests you wanted?
> Andi


Yes. For example, the G6S test requires blood collected in a purple top tube whereas the blood for a CAE test is collected in a red top tube.

Sara


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

As far as I know, CAE, CL, Johne's, and biotracking preg. tests are all run on serum. You need a plain red top tube. If you were doing bloodwork on a sick goat like a CBC or something, you would need a purple top.


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks Sara, 

What about CL?

Vicki in NC


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Thank you Beth,

I just want to get my ducks in a row and send everything off at the same time correctly.

Vicki in NC


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## crocee (Jul 30, 2008)

Thank you for the explanation. I am still learning and will probably continue to ask slightly dumb questions. Thanks for putting up with me.
Andi


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## mysacrificenubians (Oct 27, 2007)

I think it is a great question. I have seen the different colored tops but would have never realized they were for different tests. 
Learn something new every day!


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Oct 25, 2007)

"I have seen the different colored tops but would have never realized they were for different tests. "

The different colors denote different additives (or none, in the cased of the red top tube). Different tests require different additives or preservatives, hence the different tubes. :bh


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## SherrieC (Oct 26, 2007)

Shoot, I'm out of Red top tubes, I only have purple left. Anybody got some for sale?
Sherrie


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

Check with your vet. Mine sells them for .30 each. Yes more expensive than a box but if you can't use up 100....


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Besides the vet, where do you buy/order your blood collection tubes from?

Vicki in NC


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I believe PBS Animal Health sells them by the box of 100.


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks Beth!

Vicki in NC


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## stacy adams (Oct 29, 2007)

BlissBerry said:


> the G6S test requires blood collected in a purple top tube Sara


I never knew that.. I've been sending them off in the red tops.. :/


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## rg1950 (Feb 9, 2008)

For the lab that vicki uses in goat keeping 101, I went to their website and it says for CAE they need 1ml serum in Red top tubes. My questions is, for those who have done this, do I send whole blood and they separate the serum or is there a way that I am suppose to do this? We have never CAE tested, but most of the nubians we own were tested this year when we bought them from Vicki. We want to have our entire herd tested, but I want to make sure before I get a friend of ours to draw the blood and send it. We have 16 to send in and I want to make sure we get it right. Thanks, Tara


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I believe you are referring to PAVL. For all of the labs, send in a plain red top tube with whole blood in it. Let it clot, refrigerate until you can send it out, and get it to them as soon as you can. They will spin it down to get the serum. If you had access to a centrifuge, you could spin it down yourself and it keeps better as just plain serum in a tube. However, most people don't have a good way to seperate the blood and it works fine to send it to them as a clot as long as you get it there within a few days.


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