Background: Oxidative stress plays a role in the pathophysiology of several diseases and has been documented as a contributor to disease in both the human and veterinary literature. One at-risk cell is the erythrocyte, however, the role of oxidative stress in anemia in dogs has not been widely investigated.
Hypothesis/objective: Anemic dogs will have an alteration in the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), a decrease in of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and an increased concentration of urinary 15-F2 -isoprostanes (F2 -IsoP) when compared to healthy dogs.
Animals: 40 client-owned dogs with anemia (PCV <30%) age-matched to 40 client-owned healthy control dogs.
Methods: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Whole blood GPx activity, plasma TAC, and urinary F2 -isoprostane concentrations were evaluated in each dog and compared between groups.
Results: Anemic dogs had significantly lower GPx activity (43.1 × 103 +/- 1.6 × 103 U/L) than did dogs in the control group (75.8 × 103 +/- 2.0 × 103 U/L; P < 0.0001). The GPx activity in dogs with hemolysis (103 +/- 0.8 × 103 U/L) was not significantly different (P = 0.57) than in dogs with nonhemolytic anemia (43.5 × 103 +/- 1.1 × 103 U/L). The TAC concentrations (P = 0.15) and urinary F2 -isoprostanes (P = 0.73) did not significantly differ between groups.
Conclusions and clinical importance: Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly decreased in anemic dogs indicating oxidative stress. Additional studies are warranted to determine if antioxidant supplementation would improve survival and overall outcome as part of a therapeutic regimen for anemic dogs.
Keywords: Anemia; Antioxidants; Canine; Glutathione.
Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.