Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Brain damage markers for dogs with neurological distemper
By Kapar, Muhammed Mustafa et al.·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2026·Department of Internal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of Selected Brain Damage Biomarkers in the Determination of Brain Damage in Dogs With Neurological Distemper.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with neurological symptoms from canine distemper, such as nasal discharge and muscle twitching, were tested to see if certain blood markers could indicate brain damage. The study found that levels of specific proteins in their blood, like neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), were significantly higher in these dogs compared to healthy dogs. This suggests that these markers could help veterinarians diagnose brain damage caused by the distemper virus. Unfortunately, canine distemper can be severe, and treatment focuses on supportive care, as there is no cure for the virus itself.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Canine distemper is a disease with high morbidity and mortality in domestic and wild carnivores caused by Canine distemper virus (CDV). Respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatological, ophthalmic, or neurological disorders occur in dogs with canine distemper. CDV replicates in the central nervous system and causes non-purulent encephalomyelitis. This causes damage to the brain and spinal cord. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to reveal brain damage caused by the canine distemper virus in dogs using selected brain damage biomarkers and to determine which of these biomarkers are diagnostically significant in detecting brain damage. METHODS: Thirty-six six dogs with neurological of distemper and 16 control uninfected dogs were included in the study. Dogs with neurological distemper have nasal discharge, myoclonus of the temporal, chest, back and leg muscles, hyperkeratosis of the tip of the nose and footpad (Hard-pad). The disease was diagnosed by CDV Ag ELISA test and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. A complete blood count was performed on the blood sample with K-EDTA. Venous blood gas measurement was performed in heparinised blood samples. The concentrations of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), creatine kinase BB (CK-BB), adrenomedullin (ADM), activin A (ACTA), immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) were measured in serum using canine-specific commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA kits. RESULTS: Serum NSE, GFAP, CK-BB, IgG, and IgM concentrations in dogs with neurological distemper showed statistically significant increases compared to healthy dogs (p < 0.001), while no statistically significant differences were detected in ADM and ACTA concentrations (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant increase in the WBC, LYM, and MON counts of dogs with neurological distemper compared to healthy dogs (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Serum NSE, GFAP, CK-BB, IgG and IgM concentrations were found to be significantly increased in dogs with neurological distemper. The results of this study indicate that NSE, GFAP, and CK-BB biomarkers may have diagnostic significance in determining brain damage.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41961182/