Comparison between Manual and Automated Methods for Determination of Canine and Feline Hematocrit and Hemoglobin Concentration

A comparison of automated and manual methods to determine the hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations was carried out using 50 canine and 30 feline blood samples. There were significant differences between manual and automated Hct for both the dog (P<0.05) and cat (P<0.01) samples, as well as between the manual cyanmethemoglobin and automated cyanide-free methods for both species (dog P<0.01, cat P<0.05). However, strong correlations using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, R, between the two methods were observed (R for Hct of dog = 0.96, cat = 0.98 and R for Hb of dog = 0.96, cat = 0.87). The results indicated that the Hct and Hb values from the automated method could not be used to substitute for those of the manual method, though the values of the two methods were accurate and precise.