The SUCCEED Equine Fecal Blood Test is vulnerable to both excessive heat and moisture. Keep SUCCEED Equine Fecal Blood Test kits refrigerated when not in use and do not open until ready to use.
How Heat Affects the Antibodies in the FBT™
The SUCCEED FBT depends on the work of purified antibodies to function. The antibodies used to detect albumin and hemoglobin are sensitive to heat exposure – both lower heat for a longer period of time as well as high levels of heat.
When the test gets too hot, changes occur in the tertiary structure of the antibodies. Once the antibody reaches a critical temperature, the test is rendered useless, as the antigens will no longer react to the antibodies to produce a clear result. With sufficient heat damage to the antibodies, the control lines on the two parts of the FBT would fail to appear. This is your tell-tale sign that the test is defective.
Good handling and storage can help avoid this problem before it occurs.
Protecting the FBT™ from Heat
With the latest version of the SUCCEED Equine Fecal Blood Test, Freedom Health has taken some steps to help you manage the impact of heat on the product:
- Veterinary supply distributors are advised to store the product in refrigerated warehouses.
- Kits are shipped in insulated cartons with cold packs.
Protect the FBT™ from Moisture
The components of the FBT Kit are also sensitive to moisture. We have taken measures to protect each kit against moisture, including: = packing the cassettes in foil pouches, including a desiccant pack in each foil pouch, and sealing the jar lid.
To ensure the FBT will not be affected by moisture, do not open the jar until ready to use, and wait until the fecal sample is prepared to open the foil pack.
For the practitioner, a few steps can help ensure a viable test, time after time.
- Keep the FBT refrigerated at all times.
- For the ambulatory vet, take just the number of kits needed for the day’s calls and keep them in a cooler or refrigeration unit, if your truck is so equipped.
- Be sure to remove any test kits from the truck at the end of the day and return them to the refrigerator overnight.
- Do not open each component until ready to use
Proper storage of the SUCCEED FBT is critical to its consistent and reliable performance. Be sure to read other frequently asked questions, and download the full FBT instruction sheet here.
For more information on the FBT, contact Freedom Health.
