Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Serum alpha1-proteinase inhibitor levels in cobalamin-deficient
By Grützner, Niels et al.Ā·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, IncĀ·2013Ā·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United StatesĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Serum concentrations of canine alpha(1)-proteinase inhibitor in cobalamin-deficient Yorkshire Terrier dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Yorkshire Terriers with cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency had significantly lower levels of a protein called alpha(1)-proteinase inhibitor in their blood compared to those without the deficiency. This condition can lead to gastrointestinal issues, and one-fourth of the affected dogs had levels below the normal range. The study suggests that cobalamin deficiency is linked to decreased levels of this important protein, which may affect the dog's health. If your Yorkshire Terrier is showing signs of gastrointestinal problems, it may be worth discussing cobalamin levels and protein levels with your vet.
People also search for: Yorkshire Terrier cobalamin deficiency symptoms Ā· dog gastrointestinal problems treatment Ā· low protein levels in dogs
Abstract
Fecal canine alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (cα1-PI) concentration has been reported to be increased in dogs with protein-losing enteropathy due to the loss of cα1-PI into the gastrointestinal tract. A chronic loss of cα1-PI may theoretically deplete serum cα1-PI, potentially altering the proteinase-to-proteinase inhibitor balance. Protein-losing enteropathy has been reported to occur frequently in certain dog breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers and to be associated with hypocobalaminemia. The objective was to compare serum cα1-PI concentrations in Yorkshire Terriers with and without cobalamin (COB) deficiency. Serum samples from 52 COB-deficient and 69 normocobalaminemic Yorkshire Terriers, which had been submitted to the Gastrointestinal Laboratory (2008-2011; College Station, TX), were included retrospectively. Serum cα1-PI concentrations were measured using an in-house radioimmunoassay and compared between Yorkshire Terriers with and without COB deficiency using a Mann-Whitney U test. A Fisher exact test was used to evaluate whether a decreased serum cα1-PI concentration is associated with COB deficiency in Yorkshire Terriers. Serum cα1-PI concentrations were significantly lower in COB-deficient Yorkshire Terriers (median: 1,016 mg/l, range: 315-3,945 mg/l) than in normocobalaminemic Yorkshire Terriers (median: 1,665 mg/l, range: 900-2,970 mg/l; P < 0.0001). One-fourth (n = 13) of the COB-deficient Yorkshire Terriers had a serum cα1-PI concentration below the lower limit of the reference interval (<732 mg/l), and COB deficiency was associated with decreased serum cα1-PI concentrations (P < 0.0001). In the current study, serum cα1-PI concentrations are significantly lower in COB-deficient Yorkshire Terriers when compared to normocobalaminemic Yorkshire Terriers. Further studies are needed to determine the functional and potential prognostic implications of serum cα1-PI concentrations in dogs with gastrointestinal disease.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23604260/