An “internal error” when submitting ANTECH lab requests through Instinct is often caused by a character limit being exceeded, an outdated test code, or a temporary external outage. Follow the steps below to resolve the issue, then contact our Support team.
Before you begin
You may need access to your practice's ANTECH portal to Favorite test codes or submit tests manually.
“Internal error” means that the test was not successfully submitted to ANTECH from Instinct. A resubmission will always be required when this error occurs.
Check and adjust character limits
Exceeding character limits is the most common cause of this error. Review each field before resubmitting.
Check the Patient Name and Client Name fields — each first and last name must be under 20 characters.
Check the Additional Information field — text must be under 100 characters.
Check the Patient History field — text must not exceed 512 characters.
Shorten any fields that exceed these limits. A character counter tool can help confirm compliance.
Void the original request and resubmit the test with the character limits in mind.
Click the three-dot menu and select Void on the record for the affected test.
Recreate the lab request with the character count corrected.
Resubmit the request in Instinct.
Update test codes or favorites
If the error persists, the test code may be outdated (needing to be replaced) or not Favorited in your ANTECH portal. For detailed instructions on how to Favorite an ANTECH test code, visit this article.
Log in to your ANTECH portal.
Verify that the test code is current and listed in your ANTECH Directory of Services (DOS) Favorites list:
If the test is missing, but can be found when searched for, add it to the Favorites list.
If the test is outdated, add the replacement test code to your Favorites list.
Let our team know when a new test has been Favorited so we can update the Directory of Services on Instinct’s end.
Return to Instinct and retry submitting the request.
Note: When test codes are outdated and replaced, our team will need to map the new code as well as update the Directory of Services before it can be submitted through Instinct. |
Submit manually (if necessary)
If none of the above steps resolve the issue, an external outage may be the cause. Submit directly in ANTECH’s portal and manually upload the results to Instinct.
Submit the lab request directly in the ANTECH portal.
Save the requisition form or results as a PDF.
Upload the PDF to the patient's chart in Instinct for record-keeping.
Preventative measures
Use character counters to confirm text fields comply with limits before submitting.
Regularly review and update your ANTECH Favorites list to keep test codes up to date.
Monitor for external outages and plan for manual submission when needed.
Tip: Subscribe to Vetspire’s status page, where ANTECH’s status can be found under the Labs section: https://status.vetspire.com/ |
Frequently asked questions
Why does this error happen even when I haven't changed anything?
External outages or changes on ANTECH's end (such as a deprecated test code) can trigger this error without any changes on your side. Check the ANTECH portal and any known outage channels first.
Can I recover a requisition form that returned an "internal error" alert?
No—these requests cannot be restored. You'll need to void the original request and recreate it from scratch.
How do I confirm that the character limit was exceeded if I can't review the original requisition form?
Please reach out to Instinct's support team for assistance. Instinct can't recover these requisition forms, but the support team can look into the reason for the internal error message.
Still need help?
Contact support via live chat or email [email protected].