What device is commonly used in veterinary practices to spin and separate specimens for microscopic examination?

The device commonly used in veterinary practices to spin and separate specimens for microscopic examination is the centrifuge. A centrifuge operates by rapidly spinning the samples, which creates centrifugal force that separates the components based on their density. This is particularly useful in veterinary medicine for isolating blood cells from plasma or serum, allowing technicians and veterinarians to analyze different components of the blood or other bodily fluids.

While a microscope is essential for examining specimens at a microscopic level, it does not perform the separation process. A refractometer is used to measure the concentration of solutes in a liquid, which helps determine hydration levels or the presence of certain substances, but does not separate components. A thermometer measures temperature, which is important for various aspects of veterinary care but is not relevant to the separation of specimens. Thus, the centrifuge is the appropriate device for this purpose.