Serum protein electrophoresis in retired racing Greyhounds.
BACKGROUND
Retired racing Greyhounds are becoming common as pets. Because of their unique physiology, results of routine laboratory tests are frequently outside the reference interval for dogs. Compared with other breeds, Greyhounds have low serum protein concentrations, but the concentrations of different serum protein fractions have not been reported.


OBJECTIVE
Our objectives were to evaluate the results of serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) in healthy, retired racing Greyhounds and compare them with a control group of age- and gender-matched non-Greyhound dogs.


METHODS
Agarose gel electrophoresis was done using a standard method; the gels were stained with amido black and scanned with a Cliniscan 2 densitometer (Helena Laboratories, Beaumont, TX, USA). Protein fractions were identified by visual inspection of the electrophoretogram. A Student's t-test assuming equal variances was used to compare the concentration of the different fractions between groups.


RESULTS
The concentrations of total protein, total globulins, and alpha-1-, alpha-2-, beta-1-, and beta-2-globulins were significantly lower and the albumin to globulin (A:G) ratio was significantly higher in Greyhounds than in non-Greyhound dogs (P < .05). There was no significant difference in albumin or gamma-globulin concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Low serum protein concentrations in Greyhounds are the result of low concentrations of a- and b-globulins. These results should be kept in mind when evaluating both healthy and sick Greyhounds. Additional studies are needed to identify the individual proteins associated with low alpha- and beta-globulin concentrations in Greyhounds.
Fayos
Manena
M
College of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain.
Couto
C Guillermo
CG
Iazbik
María Cristina
MC
Wellman
Maxey L
ML
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001609:Beta-Globulins / Q000032:analysis; D001797:Blood Protein Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D001947:Breeding; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D007019:Hypoproteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D001609:Beta-Globulins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin