Salivary pH, calcium, phosphorus and selected enzymes in healthy dogs: a pilot study

Abstract

BackgroundSaliva in dogs, as in humans, is a complex fluid secreted by different salivary glands in the oral cavity to protect the oral mucosa and teeth. The use of saliva as a substitute for blood in diagnosing and prognosticating disease in humans is widely accepted. Salivary biochemistry has also been used as a marker for periodontal disease in humans. No studies have as yet investigated the relation between salivary biochemistry and periodontal disease in dogs, however; neither has the salivary composition of healthy dogs with no oral disease been assessed. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview on pH distribution and a set of salivary biochemical analytes (calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme and amylase) commonly related to oral health in humans in a subset population of healthy young dogs with no periodontal disease or previous oral disease. Data were analyzed to gather salivary reference ranges for pH and each parameter and to assess a possible correlation between salivary and serum analytes.ResultsTwenty-nine adult client-owned dogs were recruited for the study. Lactate dehydrogenase and lysozyme showed higher concentrations in saliva than in serum, whereas amylase showed the contrary. Salivary biochemistry values did not differ between males and females or between non-neutered and neutered individuals. No significant correlations between salivary and serum calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, amylase and lysozyme were identified in this study. Data allowed intervals for the salivary pH and other analytes investigated to be obtained from healthy dogs with healthy oral conditions.ConclusionsThese preliminary data can contribute to enlarge our understanding of the functional role of saliva and its relation to oral health in dogs.

Preliminary evaluation of a salivary urea test strip method for use in dogs

“…The salivary urea test strip method is based on changes in the test‐pad colors due to the release of hydroxyl ions (and subsequent alteration of the pH) during the cleavage reaction of the salivary urea nitrogen by urease present in the test pad. A recent study found that the average pH of canine saliva was 7.93, whereas, in humans, the salivary pH ranges from 6.2 to 7.6, with a mean pH of 6.7 . In our study, the median salivary pH was 8.7, which was more alkaline than previously reported, although this was only assessed in 18/33 dogs due to insufficient volumes of saliva being obtained.…”

“…A recent study found that the average pH of canine saliva was 7.93, whereas, in humans, the salivary pH ranges from 6.2 to 7.6, with a mean pH of 6.7 . In our study, the median salivary pH was 8.7, which was more alkaline than previously reported, although this was only assessed in 18/33 dogs due to insufficient volumes of saliva being obtained. This higher salivary pH could falsely increase the salivary test strip value since the test pad detects alterations in the pH, although the results were corrected using the control pad according to the manufacturer's instructions, which should have accounted for these differences.…”

Welfare Assessment in Shelter Dogs by Using Physiological and Immunological Parameters

“…Lysozyme, secreted mainly by polymorphonuclear cells and leukocytes, has antibacterial properties interacting with microbial growth and metabolism [68,69]. It is reported how the concentration of this enzyme increases following inflammatory processes or bacterial infections, while it decreases in response to acute stress because of the immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoid secretion that inhibits the functioning of monocytes and macrophages [36,38].…”

Autophosphorylation of Orphan Receptor ERBB2 Can Be Induced by Extracellular Treatment with Mildly Alkaline Media

“…The pH range in saliva may vary from 6 to 8.6, depending on the state of the organism [16,17]. The ability to maintain an alkaline pH in saliva is important because saliva in the oral cavity plays an antibacterial role and swallowing saliva can also compensate for acidic pH in the stomach, especially in cases of reflux disease [18]. Several reports show that the pH of colon or gastric mucosa can reach 8–8.2 and, in particular, the alkaline contents of gastric mucosa serve to protect the stomach from the acidic contents [19,20].…”