title: Adrenal cortical response in clinically normal dogs before and after adaptation to a housing environment.
abstract: 58 dogs (29 males and 29 females) selected as healthy on clinical and biochemical evaluations were subjected to an ACTH adrenal function test 2 days after their admission to a veterinary hospital (t + 0). Basal female serum cortisol concentrations were significantly higher than concentrations in males (77 nmol/l versus 43 nmol/l; P less than 0.01). Concentrations post stimulation were not statistically different (P greater than 0.05) between males and females: 306 (+/- 69) nmol/l versus 291 (+/- 73) nmol/l, respectively. Twelve dogs (6 males and 6 females), randomly selected from the 58, were subjected to the same test 5 weeks later (t + 5) and 12 weeks later (t + 12). Basal cortisol concentrations were lower at t + 5 or at t + 12 than at t + 0. Post stimulation mean cortisol concentrations were lower in males than in females at t + 5 (162 versus 232 nmol/l; P less than 0.05) but not at t + 0 (262 versus 320 nmol/l; P greater than 0.05) and t + 12 (188 versus 233 nmol/l; P greater than 0.05). These findings are indicating an increased susceptibility of bitches to environmental stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Lyon, Charbonnieres, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garnier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virat
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ochoa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delatour
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000304:Adrenal Cortex Function Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006762:Hospitals, Animal; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone