VetScan HM2™ FAQ

  1. What technology does the VetScan HMII/HM2 utilize?
  2. What type of sample is used?
  3. What species are supported?
  4. What maintenance is involved with the VetScan HMII/HM2?
  5. What is the shelf-life of the HMII/HM2 hematology reagents?
  6. What parameters are reported with the VetScan HMII/HM2?
  7. How can I avoid platelet clumping?
  8. What are the power requirements needed to operate the system?
  9. My screen is blank or has a blue backlight with no display, but the power is turned on.
  10. What is a blank and why is it needed?
  11. I just changed my reagent pack and my HMII/HM2 still says the reagents are empty or out of date.
  12. My HMII/HM2 has the message, "One or more of your reagent sensors has been disabled." What should I do?
  13. Can my data be saved to an external disk?
  14. How many tests will I get from my reagent pack?
  15. What kind of external printer can I use with my HMII/HM2?
  16. Can I use my HMII/HM2 to communicate with my lab management software?
  1. What technology does the VetScan HMII/HM2 utilize?
    The HMII/HM2 uses impedance technology to detect cells: electrically neutral blood cells pass through an electrically charged aperture thereby generating a "pulse". The decrease in electrical conductance is directly proportional to the cell volume. This size discrimination, along with susceptibility to various lysing agents distinguish the basic cell types (red cells, white cells, platelets). The size of the HMII/HM2 aperture was specifically designed to accommodate veterinary blood cells, thereby providing optimal differentiation.
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  2. What type of sample is used?
    Hematology analyses require EDTA-treated blood (from lavender or purple top tubes). It is important to ensure that your sample is well mixed and contains optimal proportions of blood and EDTA. The following guidelines should be followed: Fill each tube at least half-full with blood to eliminate dilution errors. Mix thoroughly by gently inverting the tube 10-15 times by hand immediately to avoid clot formation. If possible, run the sample immediately after mixing. For further information on sample collection and handling, refer to our Tech Brief, "Sample Collection and Handling".
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  3. What species are supported?
    Abaxis is continuing to expand the species menu. For a list of current species supported, in addition to dog, cat and horse, contact Technical Support.
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  4. What maintenance is involved with the VetScan HMII/HM2?
    As with any cell counter, the analyzer must be kept clean to avoid build up of debris and particle interference in the system. Preventative maintenance takes minimal time and ensures consistent analyzer performance.
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  5. What is the shelf-life of the HMII/HM2 hematology reagents?
    Shelf life is 24 months from date of manufacture. Open reagent packs should be used within 20 weeks (~5 months).
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  6. What parameters are reported with the VetScan HMII/HM2?

    18 parameters are provided:

    WBC
    White Blood Cell Count with 3-part differential (lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes)
    Graphic WBC histogram is included.

    RBC
    Hb: Hemoglobin
    Hct: Hematocrit
    Red Blood Cell count and indices:
    MCV-Mean Cell Volume
    MCH: Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin
    MCHC: Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration
    RDW: Red Cell Distribution Width
    Graphic RBC Histogram is included.

    PLT
    Platelet, or thromobocyte, count and parameters:
    MPV: Mean Platelet Volume
    Pct: Platelet hematocrit
    PDW: Platelet Distribution Width
    Graphic Platelet Histogram is included.
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  7. How can I avoid platelet clumping?
    Platelet clumping is a fairly common occurrence, especially in feline samples. This clumping may prevent accurate counting by both automated systems and manual slide counting. There are, however, a number of methods you may employ to minimize platelet clumping.

    Causes Preventative Measures
    Patient Anxiety Draw sample from medial saphenous vein while the cat is held in a lateral recumbent position; stroke gently to reduce stress.
    Complement Cascade Activation Draw sample directly into EDTA tube (e.g. Monovette system) and mix thoroughly, immediately (or transfer immediately to EDTA tube from syringe and mix thoroughly).

    Even with these preventative measures, feline platelet clumping is not always avoidable but can be minimized.

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  8. What are the power requirements needed to operate the system?
    The HMII/HM2 System requires 100-240 volts AC, 50-60 Hz or 12 volts DC. Abaxis® recommends that the VetScan HMII/HM2 be plugged into a surge protector designed for use with a computer. Abaxis recommends the use of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) if the VetScan HMII/HM2 will be used in an area prone to electrical surges or power outages.
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  9. My screen is blank or has a blue backlight with no display, but the power is turned on.
    This is often caused by a slight drop or outage of power. Simply reset the power supply by unplugging the cord from the HMII/HM2 power supply for 90-120 seconds. Plug it back in and turn on the HMII/HM2. If there is still no power or display, contact Technical Support.
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  10. What is a blank and why is it needed?
    During a blank cycle, the HMII/HM2 detects any background "noise" that may interfere with the testing and subtracts that from calculated results. It is imperative that the blank be run every 12 hours, or once a day. Acceptable blank measurement readings must be accepted to reset the instrument are listed below.

    WBC <0.5
    HB <10
    RBC <0.05
    PLT <25
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  11. I just changed my reagent pack and my HMII/HM2 still says the reagents are empty or out of date.
    The reagent status needs to be reset. Press Utilities, Maintenance, reagent status, change. This will reset the volume to 100% for the reagents and 0% for waste and change the install date to today's date.
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  12. My HMII/HM2 has the message, "One or more of your reagent sensors has been disabled." What should I do?
    This message is informing you that one of the sensors used to detect the reagents flowing into the HMII/HM2 has been turned off. In order to achieve the most accurate test results, it is advised to turn on all the sensors and calibrate. To do this, select Utilities, Settings, Reagent Sensors. Ensure all the sensors are turned on by filling in the black box to the left of the sensor name; then calibrate the sensors.
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  13. Can my data be saved to an external disk?
    Data can be saved to a floppy disk, but not a CD on the HMII. The CD drive is used to upgrade the software and is a read-only drive. The data saved to the floppy disk can only be read by the HMII. The HM2 can save data to any USB drive, whether a hard drive or a pen drive.
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  14. How many tests will I get from my reagent pack?
    The throughput of the reagent pack varies depending on the number of tests you run a day. The more tests run in a day, the more you'll get from your reagent pack. Clinics who typically run 3-6 tests a day see 70-100 tests from their reagent pack. However, running extra cleaning, priming, and blanking will increase the consumption of the reagent pack, therefore decreasing the reagent pack yield. Properly maintaining the HMII/HM2 will help increase the yield of the reagent pack.
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  15. What kind of external printer can I use with my HMII/HM2?
    For a current list of compatible printers, contact Technical Support.
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  16. Can I use my HMII/HM2 to communicate with my lab management software? The VetScan HMII/HM2 will communicate with many lab management software programs. For a list of companies that have developed interfaces with the HMII/HM2, please contact technical support.
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