Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Why Greyhound dogs have high homocysteine levels in their blood
By Johnson, Kelsey L et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2023·Department of Medical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Potential mechanism for hyperhomocysteinemia in Greyhound dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy Greyhound dogs was found to have higher levels of homocysteine, a substance that can indicate potential health issues, compared to other breeds. The study showed that these Greyhounds also had lower levels of cobalamin (a type of vitamin B12) and folate, which are important for converting homocysteine into methionine, another amino acid. This suggests that Greyhounds might have a metabolic issue that prevents them from processing homocysteine properly, which could lead to deficiencies in these vitamins even without any signs of intestinal problems. Owners of Greyhounds should be aware of these potential nutritional concerns and discuss them with their veterinarian.
People also search for: Greyhound high homocysteine levels · Greyhound vitamin B12 deficiency · Greyhound folate levels
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Greyhounds have been reported to have hyperhomocysteinemia (HHC), but the underlying mechanisms and clinical implications are unclear. HYPOTHESIS: Our primary aim was to assess serum concentrations of homocysteine (HCy) and related analytes in Greyhounds and to identify a likely metabolic pathway for HHC. A secondary aim was to determine whether HHC is associated with evidence of oxidative stress. ANIMALS: Healthy pet Greyhounds (n = 31) and non-sighthound control dogs (n = 15). METHODS: Analysis of serum HCy, cobalamin, folate, and methionine, and plasma cysteine, glutathione, and total 8-isoprostane concentrations. RESULTS: Homocysteine concentrations were higher in Greyhounds (median, 25.0 μmol/L) compared to controls (13.9 μmol/L; P < .0001). Cobalamin concentrations were lower in Greyhounds (median, 416 ng/L) compared to controls (644 ng/L; P = .004) and were inversely correlated with HCy (r = -0.40, P = .004). Serum concentrations of folate, which is regenerated when HCy is converted to methionine, also were inversely correlated with HCy (r = -0.47, P = .002). Serum methionine concentrations were more than 4-fold lower in Greyhounds (median, 3.2 μmol/L) compared to controls (median, 15.0 μmol/L), but this difference was not significant (P = .3). Plasma cysteine, glutathione, and 8-isoprostane concentrations did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Our findings suggest a primary defect in conversion of HCy to methionine in Greyhounds, with related impaired folate generation. Ineffective cycling by methionine synthase could lead to secondary cobalamin depletion. Notably, low serum folate and cobalamin concentrations can be observed in Greyhounds without signs of intestinal disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37092349/