Idexx Lipase Test Instructions

An Idexx lipase test is a method of determining whether canine pancreas-specific lipase (cPL) levels are normal. This diagnostic test for dogs is an indicator of whether or not they have pancreatitis. A veterinarian may suspect that a dog has pancreatitis, if he has refused food, appears to have abdominal pain and has been vomiting. To perform the test, the veterinarian will mix a serum sample from the dog with material from the testing kit and place it into a SNAP device, which is a testing tool that can give results within 10 minutes.

Things You'll Need

  • Sample
  • Pipette
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw the canine serum sample into the pipette.

    • 2

      Hold the pipette vertically over a sample tube and allow three drops of sample to fall into the tube.

    • 3

      Hold the bottle of conjugate vertically over the tube and allow four drops to fall into the tube.

    • 4

      Place the cap on the sample tube securely. Invert it three to five times to mix the sample and the conjugate together thoroughly.

    • 5

      Pour all of the mixed conjugate and sample solution into the sample well, located at the end of your SNAP device. Avoid splashing the solution.

    • 6

      Observe the activation circle on the SNAP device, which is at the opposite end from the sample well. Press the activator button until it is completely depressed when you first observe color appearing in the activation circle. The button is below the activation circle.

    • 7

      Wait 10 minutes for your results to appear in the results window; it is located just below the sample well.

    • 8

      Position the SNAP device vertically, so that the sample well is at the top and the activator button is at the bottom, nearest you. Locate the two spots in the results window. The one on the left is the reference spot and the one on the right is your sample.

    • 9

      Interpret your results. The sample spot's hue should be lighter than the reference spot for normal cPL levels. If the sample spot is darker or about equal to the reference spot, the canine has abnormal cPL levels. Sometimes, the color may not develop at all. The test may have been faulty and you must repeat it.