Catestatin and vasostatin concentrations in healthy dogs

Abstract

BackgroundThe neuroendocrine glycoprotein chromogranin A is a useful biomarker in humans for neuroendocrine tumors and stress. Chromogranin A can be measured in both blood and saliva. The objective of this study was to investigate concentrations of and correlation between the chromogranin A epitopes catestatin and vasostatin in healthy dogs accustomed to the sample collection procedures. Blood and saliva samples were collected from 10 research Beagle dogs twice daily for 5 consecutive days, and from 33 privately-owned blood donor dogs in association with 50 different blood donation occasions. All dogs were familiar with sample collection procedures. During each sampling, stress behavior was scored by the same observer using a visual analog scale (VAS) and serum cortisol concentrations. Catestatin and vasostatin were analyzed using radioimmunoassays for dogs.ResultsThe dogs showed minimal stress behavior during both saliva sampling and blood sampling as monitored by VAS scores and serum cortisol concentrations. Few and insufficient saliva volumes were obtained and therefore only catestatin could be analyzed. Catestatin concentrations differed significantly and did not correlate significantly with vasostatin concentrations (P < 0.0001). Age, gender, breed, and time of sample collection did not significantly affect concentrations of plasma catestatin, vasostatin, and saliva catestatin.ConclusionsThe normal ranges of plasma catestatin (0.53–0.98 nmol/l), vasostatin (0.11–1.30 nmol/l), and saliva catestatin (0.31–1.03 nmol/l) concentrations in healthy dogs accustomed to the sampling procedures were determined. Separate interpretation of the different chromogranin A epitopes from either saliva or plasma is recommended.

Prevalence and risk factors of Salmonella in commercial poultry farms in Nigeria

“…Furthermore, layer flocks, which spend longer time in the poultry house, had higher prevalence of Salmonella infection compared with broiler flocks. Wierup et al [49] have also showed a substantially higher prevalence of Salmonella in layer flocks than in broilers among outdoor and indoor housing system. A high number of Salmonella serotypes were observed in the farms investigated suggesting either a wide diversity of sources for introduction of Salmonella into the farms, or that common sources (such as contaminated feed) can contain different serotypes over time.…”

“…Furthermore, layer flocks, which spend longer time in the poultry house, had higher prevalence of Salmonella infection compared with broiler flocks. Wierup et al [ 49 ] have also showed a substantially higher prevalence of Salmonella in layer flocks than in broilers among outdoor and indoor housing system.…”

Effects of hydrolyzed yeast supplementation on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and microbial shedding in weaning pigs

“…Post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) is of critical concern in swine production worldwide and can typically result in lower feed intake, growth retardation, and immune suppression [ 1 ]. A previous report has established that Escherichia coli is the predominant pathogenic strain causing PWD in piglets [ 2 ].…”

Abdominal pain assessment in rabbits: using the CANCRS to recognize pain and testing its internal validity over time

“…It has been previously showed that composite pain scales are more reliable than simple one-dimensional pain scales like the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (8). The VAS is a subjective tool (9) and the rater is asked to make an estimate of the pain of the patient placing a mark on a 10 cm-line. The VAS is an effective tool in human medicine (10), when a selfassessment is performed, whereas its use in veterinary medicine comes with limitations, since the assessment is performed on another individual belonging to another species.…”