BackgroundAcute‐phase proteins (APPs) are sensitive markers of inflammation, and serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) recently has been shown to be a useful diagnostic marker in dogs with bacterial pneumonia (BP). In humans with community‐acquired pneumonia, APPs also have great utility as follow‐up markers aiding in the assessment of treatment response.ObjectivesThe aim of our study was to investigate the applicability of APPs as markers of treatment response in dogs with BP.AnimalsNineteen dogs diagnosed with BP and 64 healthy dogs.MethodsThe study was conducted as a prospective longitudinal observational study. Serum CRP, serum amyloid A (SAA), and haptoglobin concentrations were followed during a natural course of BP. Normalization of serum CRP was used to guide the duration of antibiotic treatment (treatment was stopped 5–7 days after CRP normalized) in 8 of 17 dogs surviving to discharge; 9 of 17 dogs were treated according to conventional recommendations.ResultsAll measured APPs initially were significantly increased, but the magnitude of increase was not correlated to disease severity. C‐reactive protein and SAA concentrations decreased rapidly after initiation of antimicrobial treatment. When normalization of serum CRP was used to guide the duration of antibiotic treatment, treatment duration was significantly (P = .015) decreased without increasing the number of relapses.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceSerum CRP and SAA reflected the recovery process well and therefore may be used as markers of treatment response. According to the results, the normalization of serum CRP may be used to guide the duration of antibiotic treatment in dogs with BP.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major acute-phase protein in dogs. Serum concentrations are low in healthy animals, but increase rapidly after inflammatory stimuli.Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate CRP concentrations in various respiratory diseases of dogs and to determine if CRP can be used as a biomarker in the diagnosis of bacterial respiratory diseases.Animals: A total of 106 privately owned dogs with respiratory diseases ( Methods: The study was conducted as a prospective cross-sectional observational study. CRP was measured in serum samples. Diagnosis was confirmed by clinical and laboratory findings, diagnostic imaging, and selected diagnostic methods such as cytological and microbiological analysis of respiratory samples, echocardiography, and histopathology.Results: Dogs with BP had significantly higher CRP concentrations (median, 121 mg/L; interquartile range, 68-178 mg/L) than dogs with BTB (23, 15-38, P = .0003), CB (13, 8-14, P < .0001), EBP (5, 5-15, P < .0001), CIPF (17, 10-20, P < .0001), or CPE (19, 13-32, P < .0001) and healthy controls (14,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), P < .0001). Dogs with BTB had significantly higher CRP concentrations than dogs with CB (P = .001) or EBP (P < .0001) and healthy controls (P = .029).Conclusion and Clinical Importance: These results indicate that CRP has potential for use as an additional biomarker, especially in the diagnostics of BP.

BackgroundBacterial pneumonia (BP) is an inflammation of the lower airways and lung parenchyma secondary to bacterial infection. The pathogenesis of BP in dogs is complex and the role of canine respiratory viruses has not been fully evaluated.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of viral co‐infections in dogs with BP and to assess demographic or clinical variables as well as disease severity associated with viral co‐infections.AnimalsTwenty household dogs with BP caused by opportunistic bacteria and 13 dogs with chronic (>30 days) tracheobronchitis caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica (BBTB).MethodsProspective cross‐sectional observational study. Diagnosis was confirmed by clinical and laboratory findings, diagnostic imaging, and cytologic and microbiologic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage or transtracheal wash fluid. Canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), canine adenovirus, canine herpes virus, canine influenzavirus, canine distemper virus, canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) and canine pneumovirus, as well as B. bronchiseptica and Mycoplasma spp. were analyzed in respiratory samples using PCR assays.Results CPIV was detected in 7/20 and CRCoV in 1/20 dogs with BP. Respiratory viruses were not detected in dogs with BBTB. There were no significant differences in clinical variables between BP dogs with and without a viral co‐infection.Conclusion and Clinical ImportanceRespiratory viruses were found frequently in dogs with BP and may therefore play an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of BP. Clinical variables and disease severity did not differ between BP dogs with and without viral co‐infection.

BackgroundGastroesophageal reflux and microaspiration (MA) of gastric juice are associated with various human respiratory diseases but not in dogs.ObjectiveTo detect the presence of bile acids in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of dogs with various respiratory diseases.AnimalsTwenty‐seven West Highland White Terriers (WHWTs) with canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (CIPF), 11 dogs with bacterial pneumonia (BP), 13 with chronic bronchitis (CB), 9 with eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EBP), 19 with laryngeal dysfunction (LD), 8 Irish Wolfhounds (IWHs) with previous BPs, 13 healthy WHWTs, all privately owned dogs, and 6 healthy research colony BeaglesMethodsProspective cross‐sectional observational study with convenience sampling of dogs. Bile acids were measured by mass spectrometry in BALF samples. Total bile acid (TBA) concentration was calculated as a sum of 17 different bile acids.ResultsConcentrations of TBA were above the limit of quantification in 78% of CIPF, 45% of BP, 62% of CB, 44% of EBP, 68% of LD, and 13% of IWH dogs. In healthy dogs, bile acids were detected less commonly in Beagles (0/6) than in healthy WHWTs (10/13). Concentrations of TBA were significantly higher in CIPF (median 0.013 μM, range not quantifiable [n.q.]‐0.14 μM, P < .001), healthy WHWTs (0.0052 μM, n.q.‐1.2 μM, P = .003), LD (0.010 μM, n.q.‐2.3 μM, P = .015), and CB (0.0078 μM, n.q.‐0.073 μM, P = .018) groups compared to Beagles (0 μM, n.q.).Conclusion and Clinical ImportanceThese results suggest that MA occurs in various respiratory diseases of dogs and also in healthy WHWTs.

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