title: Serum C-reactive protein concentrations in healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker for inflammation in people and dogs. In people, an association between CRP concentration and atherosclerosis has been reported. Atherosclerosis is rare in dogs, but the Miniature Schnauzer breed may be at increased risk for developing this vascular disease. It is not known if CRP concentrations in Miniature Schnauzer dogs differ from those in other dog breeds.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objectives were to validate an automated human CRP assay for measuring CRP in dogs and compare CRP concentrations in healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs with those in non-Miniature Schnauzer breeds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 37 non-Miniature Schnauzer dogs with inflammatory disease were pooled and used to validate a human CRP immunoturbidimetric assay for measuring canine CRP. Blood was collected from 20 healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs and 41 healthy dogs of other breeds. Median serum CRP concentration of healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs was compared with that of healthy non-Miniature Schnauzer dogs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The human CRP assay measured CRP reliably with linearity between 0 and 20 mg/L. CRP concentration for healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs (median 4.0 mg/L, minimum-maximum 0-18.2 mg/L) was significantly higher than for the healthy non-Miniature Schnauzer dogs (median 0.1 mg/L, minimum-maximum 0-10.7 mg/L); 17 of the 20 Miniature Schnauzer dogs had values that overlapped with those of the non-Miniature Schnauzer dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Median CRP concentration of Miniature Schnauzer dogs was slightly higher than that of other breeds of dogs. A relationship between higher CRP concentration in Miniature Schnauzer dogs and idiopathic hyperlipidemia, pancreatitis, and possible increased risk for atherosclerosis remains to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Valerie M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Beverly A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kidney
authors.forename: Elisabeth C R
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Snead
authors.forename: Sherry L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Marion L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000592:standards; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006304:Health Status; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein