The Antech submission form, formally the Test Request Form (TRF), is the requisition that tells the laboratory which tests to run on the specimen you’re sending. Antech offers electronic and paper versions, and the version you need depends on the species and test type: Form 1 (General) covers dogs and cats, Form 2 handles avian and exotic species, and separate equine forms exist for routine bloodwork and pathology.1Antech Diagnostics. Test Guide Choosing the right form and filling it out accurately is what keeps specimens from being rejected or delayed.
Which Form to Use and How to Get It
Electronic TRFs are Antech’s preferred method because they cut transcription errors and archive every order automatically. You can generate them through your practice management software (PIMS) or through Antech’s HealthTracks portal. Paper TRFs can be ordered online through HealthTracks at healthtracks.com.2Antech Diagnostics. Onboarding Resources for U.S. Reference Lab Services
Clinics running Cornerstone, AVImark, or ImproMed can generate bar-coded order forms that Antech’s equipment reads directly.3Antech Diagnostics Customer Support Portal. Antech Online Flowchart Cornerstone, for example, checks the order for accuracy before printing a bar-coded form matched to the profile type.4Cornerstone Help Hub. Antech Lab Integration Overview and Setup If the PIMS is generating forms incorrectly, contact your PIMS vendor’s support; Antech can’t reach into your software’s internal settings.
Clinic and Patient Information
The top portion of every TRF links the sample to your clinic and the correct patient record. You’ll enter your clinic account information, the attending doctor’s name, and the date. The patient section asks for the owner’s name, the pet’s name, species, breed, age, and sex.5Antech Diagnostics. Antech Diagnostics Test Request Form Sex options are intact male (M), intact female (F), castrated male (CM), and spayed female (SF). The distinction matters because reference ranges for certain blood values differ between intact and altered animals.
The equine version adds a chart number field and organizes tests into equine-specific categories such as mare reproduction, stallion and gelding reproduction, and cryptorchid testing.6Antech Diagnostics. Equine Test Request Form Write legibly on paper forms. Lab technicians process thousands of submissions daily, and an ambiguous breed abbreviation or unclear patient name can slow processing or cause a sample to be matched to the wrong record.
Selecting Tests and Specimen Codes
The middle section is where you mark which tests to run. Pre-printed forms group tests into categories (CBC and chemistry, urinalysis, fecal, endocrinology, microbiology, and individual tests), and you check the box next to each panel or standalone test you need. Every test has an alphanumeric code identifying the analytical process. An equine CBC with fibrinogen is code T332; an equine chemistry panel is L010.7Antech Diagnostics. Equine Quick Reference Guide For anything not pre-printed, write the test name and code in the open fields. Antech’s online Test Guide at antechdiagnostics.com/test-guide lists every available test with its code, required specimen type, and volume.1Antech Diagnostics. Test Guide
Read the specimen code column carefully. Each code tells you what to collect and how to handle it. On the equine form, “S” means serum in a red-top tube that you’ve spun and separated into a non-additive tube marked SERUM, “L” means whole blood in a lavender-top tube, and “P” means plasma that must be submitted on ice.6Antech Diagnostics. Equine Test Request Form The wrong tube or a skipped separation step is one of the fastest ways to get a specimen rejected.
Tube Types, Collection, and Labeling
The tube you reach for depends on the tests ordered. Antech’s sample handling guide sorts it by tube color:
- Purple/lavender top (EDTA) is for hematology and CBC. Fill to at least the halfway mark and invert eight to ten times immediately after collection to mix the blood with anticoagulant.
- Red top (no anticoagulant) is for chemistry, immunology, and serology. Let whole blood clot at room temperature before centrifuging: about 15 to 20 minutes for small animals, 30 to 45 minutes for horses and ruminants.
- Green top (lithium heparin) is for chemistry and point-of-care tests. Invert five to ten times immediately after collection, before centrifuging.
- Blue top (sodium citrate) is for coagulation and fibrinogen testing. Fill exactly to the fill line, invert at least ten times, store at room temperature, and test within four hours.8Antech Diagnostics. Blood Sample Handling Guide
Fill every tube to the recommended level. Underfilling over-dilutes the sample with anticoagulant and can produce unreliable results. Label each container with the patient’s name and collection date so it matches the identifiers on the form. For tests like bile acids that require pre- and post-prandial draws, label one tube “PRE” and the other “POST” so the lab doesn’t mix them up.9Antech Diagnostics. Bile Acids (PRE and POST)
Packaging and Shipping
Antech provides two options: direct courier pickup or FedEx Priority Overnight. Courier service runs once or twice daily in most metropolitan areas. To find out if your clinic qualifies or to arrange a regular pickup, call Antech Customer Service at 1-800-872-1001. Where courier service isn’t available, you can ship free via FedEx Priority Overnight. Antech issues each FedEx customer a location-specific QR code to create shipping labels, schedule free pickups Monday through Friday, and track shipments.10Antech Diagnostics. Antech Veterinary Reference Laboratory Testing, Telemedicine and Consultative Terms of Service
The packing steps are the same either way. Place the specimen tubes and the completed requisition form together in a zip-lock bag, using a separate bag for each patient. Position the bags inside the shipping box with absorbent material like a paper towel, close the box, and seal the lid with tape.10Antech Diagnostics. Antech Veterinary Reference Laboratory Testing, Telemedicine and Consultative Terms of Service Antech also supplies free biopsy jars in 40 mL, 60 mL, 120 mL, and 480 mL sizes, orderable through HealthTracks. Specimens too large for those jars require a call to Customer Service for special packing instructions.
Improper biopsy submissions can trigger fees. Antech defines improper submissions as containers with more than one liter of formalin, containers not designed for histology, samples with sharp objects, loose lids, and leaking specimens. Leaking samples may be disposed of in transit.10Antech Diagnostics. Antech Veterinary Reference Laboratory Testing, Telemedicine and Consultative Terms of Service
Turnaround and Results Delivery
Turnaround depends on the test. Standard chemistry panels and CBCs typically produce results within 24 hours of the lab receiving the specimen; equine chemistry (L010) and CBC with fibrinogen (T332) both carry a 24-hour turnaround.7Antech Diagnostics. Equine Quick Reference Guide Multi-test panels like the AccuPlex heartworm and tick-borne disease screen run one to two days.1Antech Diagnostics. Test Guide Microbiology is slower by nature: bacterial presence or absence is reported in about 24 hours, but full culture identification with sensitivity results takes two to four days.11Antech Diagnostics. Veterinary Microbiology Lab Services for Pets Specialized molecular testing and toxicology panels can stretch beyond a week. The 11 Metal and Mineral Panel for horses takes five to ten days.
Results are delivered through HealthTracks, Antech’s current portal and the only platform receiving feature updates. The older AntechOnline portal still works but is no longer being enhanced. Clinics using integrated PIMS software can view results within patient records, though how the data displays depends on the PIMS vendor. To have results emailed directly, contact HealthTracks support at healthtrackssupport@antechdx.com to update your delivery preferences.11Antech Diagnostics. Veterinary Microbiology Lab Services for Pets
Add-On Tests and Sample Retention
If results raise new questions, Antech holds most clinical specimens for seven days after testing is complete. That window applies to whole blood, serum, plasma, urine, and microbiology specimens. Cytology slides are kept for 90 days, histology slides for 180 days, and paraffin blocks for 18 months, so pathology add-ons have a much longer window than blood chemistry follow-ups.12Antech Diagnostics. Terms of Services – Retention of Specimens
Pricing shifts once the original order is placed. Add-on tests ordered alongside the original profile receive discounted pricing, but anything requested after the initial submission is charged at the regular individual test fee.13Antech Diagnostics. Terms of Services When a case could go in several diagnostic directions, ordering a broader panel up front is usually cheaper than adding tests piecemeal.
Keeping a Copy for the Record
Keep a copy of every completed TRF as part of the patient’s medical record. Electronic submissions through HealthTracks or your PIMS create an automatic archive; if you’re using paper forms, photocopy or scan the requisition before placing it in the shipping box. Laboratory data belongs to the veterinary facility that ordered it, and a copy must be released to the client upon request. Record retention periods vary by state, and your state veterinary medical board sets the requirement that applies to your practice.