Calibrator composition and method of producing and using same for veterinary applications

A method of calibrating a blood analyzing apparatus which comprises a particle counter having a counter chamber of known volume, said method comprising the steps of

• (a) providing at least a first calibrator solution and a second calibrator solution, each of the calibrator solutions (i) comprising elements of fixed dimensions that correspond to those of blood components of a first and a second species, respectively, and (ii) being the product of a process comprising the steps of
• (1) drawing at least one first sample of whole blood from each of a plurality of individuals of the same species,
• (2) stabilizing the dimensions of cellular components comprising each first sample, then
• (3) removing immunogenic factors from each of said first samples, and
• (4) after step (3), pooling all of said first samples from said plurality of individuals to form a single pooled sample, having a known number of cellular components per unit volume of said pooled sample;
• (b) adjusting the threshold settings of said particle counter so that a reading obtained from said counter for an aliquot of said known volume derived from said first calibrator solution corresponds to a known number of cellular components per unit volume of a pooled sample prepared using first samples from said first species;
• and thereafter
• (c) readjusting the threshold settings of said particle counter so that a reading obtained from said counter for an aliquot of said known volume derived from said second calibrator solution corresponds to a known number of cellular components per unit volume of a pooled sample produced using first samples from said second species.