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Clinical Veterinary
Refractometer With Species-Specific Measurements! Refractometers have become essential diagnostic instruments in nearly all clinical practices. However, it is shocking to discover that so many practices are using instruments that are designed for human urine and blood instead of using specially-designed veterinary refractometers. Numerous research studies, as far back as 1956, have shown that the urine from cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs differs from that of humans, dogs and large animals. In fact, specific gravity readings of feline urine measured on a refractometer designed for humans will yield falsely elevated values. This is because refractometers do not measure specific gravity directly. They actually measure the refractive index of a fluid and convert the readings into specific gravity. This conversion can be different for different species. Also disturbing, is the fact that the protein scale on many of clinical human refractometers is based on a protein-to-nitrogen ratio of 6.25% instead of 6.54%, which studies indicate is a more accurate value for veterinary use. Furthermore, since many of these instruments are not temperature compensated, they will introduce an error into the readings if they are not taken at 20 ºC (68 ºF). The new MISCO Palm Abbe is a fourth-generation digital handheld refractometer designed specifically for the veterinary clinical practice. It is fast, convenient, and easy to use. Simply place a few drops of specimen in the stainless-steel well and press a button. The custom-designed microprocessor delivers a nearly instantaneous readout of urine specific gravity or blood plasma protein concentration. The protein scale on the Palm Abbe is based on accepted veterinary data and uses a 6.54% protein-to-nitrogen ratio. There are separate urine specific gravity scales for feline and for canine and large animals. Dozens of other scales are available and can be mixed and matched for a custom instrument. The large dual-line LCD display is easily read, even in dim light, and removes the subjectivity associated with interpreting where a boundary line crosses tiny scale divisions. The user interface consists of two buttons, one to take readings and the other to step through various scales or menu options. The Palm Abbe refractometer automatically calibrates itself to water and is ready to use in seconds. No more screws to turn and nothing to adjust. A NIST traceable calibration standard, available from MISCO, can be used to adjust the high end of the scale. Nonlinear temperature compensation is automatic and insures that fluids read between 0 and 50 °C (+32 to 122 °F) are measured accurately. A multilingual display allows the Palm Abbe user to elect to display prompts and measurements in English, Spanish, French, German, or Russian. Palm Abbe PA203 is available with hundreds of possible scale combinations, including the urine specific gravity of Guinea Pigs and Rabbits.
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| Scale |
Unit of Measure |
Range |
Resolution |
Precision |
| nD |
Refractive Index |
1.3330 to 1.5000 |
0.0001 |
+/- 0.0001 |
| Urine - Cat (ONLY) |
Specific Gravity by Refractometer (D20/20) |
1.0000 to 1.1200 |
0.0001 |
+/- 0.0005 |
| Urine - Dog & Large Animal |
Specific Gravity by Refractometer (D20/20) |
1.0000 to 1.0450 |
0.0001 |
+/- 0.0005 |
| Protein |
Total Protein by Refractometer (TPr) |
1 to 16 g/dl |
0.1 |
+/- 0.1 |
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