No abstract

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.

Summary An experiment was conducted on rats to investigate the capacity of antioxidants to protect against acute toxicity caused by DON or T‐2 toxin. Male rats were fed two different feeds. One group received a feed deficient in vitamins C and E and selenium, whereas the other group was fed with a feed enriched in antioxidants. After two weeks, selected groups of rats were administered orally a single dose of DON or T‐2 toxin. After the treatment with mycotoxins, all rats were decapitated. The livers were analyzed for TBARS values, hepatic GSH content and for the activities of CyP‐450, CAT, SOD and GSH‐TR. Increases in lipid peroxides of 21% and 268% were observed in those rats which did not receive the supplement of antioxidants and which were administered DON or T‐2 toxin, respectively. There was no significant increase in the TBARS values in the groups receiving DON with selenium and vitamins, but increases of 57% and 79% were recorded in the groups administered T‐2 toxin and antioxidants. Furthermore, in the groups fed the deficient feed and administered DON or T‐2 toxin, the lipid peroxidation increased by 33 % and 307 %, respectively. No mortality, and a lower number of intoxicated animals were observed in rats fed a diet supplemented with antioxidants. Significant decreases of GSH, CAT, SOD, CyP‐450 and GSH‐TR were recorded in treated rats receiving the deficient feed. The results of this study demonstrate that trichothecenes stimulate lipid peroxidation with consequent decrease of GSH content, but that the dietary use of selenium, α‐tocopherol and ascorbic acid provides protection against acute toxicosis caused by DON or T‐2 toxin.