Reproducibility of blood lead levels after blood stored for seven days in trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) and mute swans (Cygnus olor)

Wild animals, particularly birds, often present with clinical signs of lead toxicosis when admitted to wildlife rehabilitation centers. Many wildlife rehabilitators and wildlife biologists do not have a point-of-care blood lead level analyzer, nor do they always have the financial resources to submit samples for external laboratory analyses. Often there is a delay between taking a blood sample in the field and subsequent analysis. The objective of this study was to determine whether a delay in processing a blood sample for lead testing would significantly alter the blood lead level results in swans. Whole blood samples were collected from 49 trumpeter swans and four mute swans and placed in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood collection tubes. Samples were run on a LeadCare II analyzer at day 0, stored at 4°C for 7 days, and rerun on day 7. Results indicate that whole blood can be stored in EDTA blood collection tubes for up to seven days at 4°C while maintaining reproducibility in blood lead level results that were analyzed from a point-of-care blood lead level system.