Saline Agglutination Test (Auto-agglutination)
The saline agglutination test is a quick slide test that checks whether red blood cells stay clumped after salt water is added. Clumps that stay can point towards IMHA in dogs and cats, where the body attacks its own red cells.
- Sample
- Whole blood (EDTA)
- Quantity
- As advised
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Whether red blood cells stay stuck together in clumps after saline is added
- A sign that antibodies may be coating the red cells, as in IMHA
- The difference between true clumps and harmless stacks of red cells
When your vet may advise it
- A dog or cat with sudden pale gums, weakness or fast breathing
- Yellow eyes or gums (jaundice) or dark urine along with anaemia
- When a blood count or smear shows anaemia with signs of red cells being destroyed
About this test
In immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA), the body's defence system wrongly attacks its own red blood cells, and a pet can quickly become pale and weak. Antibodies on the cells can make them stick together in clumps. For this test, a drop of blood is mixed with saline, a salt solution, on a glass slide and checked under a microscope. Saline breaks up harmless stacks of red cells that can look like clumps, so clumps that stay are a stronger clue. A negative test does not rule out IMHA, and your vet may add a Coombs test. Your registered veterinarian interprets the finding with the blood count, signs and history.
How to prepare
A fresh blood sample in an EDTA tube is needed. Tell your vet about any recent medicines or blood transfusions. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.
Questions about Saline Agglutination Test (Auto-agglutination)
What does a positive saline agglutination test mean in a dog?
If the test is negative, can my cat still have IMHA?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
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Saline Agglutination Test (Auto-agglutination): Bhopal and the big cities of Madhya Pradesh
Free sample collection anywhere in Bhopal. From the other cities, send the sample by courier, bus parcel or through your local veterinarian, and the report comes to you online.
Free collection in these Bhopal areas
Read more
Immune-Mediated Anaemia: Coombs Test and Saline Agglutination
Immune-mediated anaemia (IMHA) means a dog's or cat's own immune system is destroying its red blood cells. The saline agglutination test and the Direct Coombs test look for antibodies on those cells, and a negative result does not always rule IMHA out.
18 Oct 2026