Markers of inflammation and treatment response in dogs

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Determination of acute phase proteins and markers of oxidative status may be of value for evaluating the severity of disease and the response to treatment. In canine demodicosis, there is no information available regarding the use of such analytes to discriminate between localized and generalized demodicosis or to monitor the response to treatment. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: The aim was to measure analytes related to inflammation and oxidative stress in dogs with localized or generalized demodicosis. In cases of generalized demodicosis, the intention was to study these analytes before and after a period of treatment. ANIMALS: Serum was obtained from three groups: Group 1, healthy dogs; Group 2, dogs with localized demodicosis; and Group 3, dogs with generalized demodicosis. METHODS: Animals from Groups 1 and 2 were sampled at the point of diagnosis. Dogs in Group 3 were treated with oral ivermectin 1% at 0.6 mg/kg once daily, and samples were collected at the point of diagnosis and after 30 days of treatment. C-Reactive protein, haptoglobin, albumin, butyrylcholinesterase, paraoxonase-1 and total antioxidant capacity were measured. RESULTS: Dogs with generalized demodicosis had significantly higher concentrations of C-reactive protein and haptoglobin and lower butyrylcholinesterase activity than dogs in Groups 1 and 2. Dogs in Group 3 also had lower paraoxonase-1 than those in Group 2, The analytes tended to normalize during treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: There was an evident acute phase response and changes in selected oxidative state analytes in generalized demodicosis that do not occur in the localized form. These changes could be used for monitoring the response to treatment.