Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Prolactin hormone levels linked to anxiety in male dogs
By Schwobthaler, Françoise et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2026·Atlantia Centre Hospitalier Vé, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prospective study of plasma prolactin and thyroxin concentrations in anxious and non-anxious dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of anxious male dogs was studied to see if their hormone levels were different from non-anxious dogs. The researchers found that while the levels of thyroxin and thyroid-stimulating hormone were similar in both groups, anxious dogs had higher levels of prolactin. This suggests that prolactin could be a useful marker for identifying anxiety in dogs. The study highlights the need for more research to confirm these findings and explore how prolactin levels might be used in treating canine anxiety.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study examined the relationship between anxiety and plasma hormonal concentration (thyroxin, canine thyroid-stimulating hormone [cTSH] and prolactin) in male dogs, utilising the Evaluation of Dog's Emotional and cognitive Disorders (EDED) scale for anxiety assessment. METHODS: This research included a control group of non-anxious dogs for comparative purposes, with hormonal levels measured under controlled conditions. RESULTS: The findings showed no significant difference in thyroxin and cTSH concentrations between anxious and non-anxious dogs, indicating that anxiety might not directly influence these hormones. However, a significant elevation in prolactin levels was observed in anxious dogs, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for anxiety-related disorders in canines. LIMITATIONS: The study should be conducted on more dogs to confirm these results. Exploring prolactin concentration levels in females considering their estrous cycle should be performed in future research to be able to use prolactin as a biological marker of anxiety. CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the understanding of the neuroendocrine underpinnings of canine anxiety, proposing future research directions to explore the causal relationships between prolactin and anxiety and the therapeutic implications of modulating prolactin levels.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41342405/