title: Faecal IgA concentration is influenced by age in dogs.
abstract: Data comparing age-related alterations in faecal IgA concentrations of dogs are not available in the literature. The present study aimed to compare the faecal concentrations of IgA in puppies, mature and senior dogs. A total of twenty-four beagle dogs were used, including eight puppies (5 months old, four females and four males), eight mature (4.6 years old, eight males) and eight senior dogs (10.6 years old, three males and five females). Fresh faecal samples were collected from each dog for three consecutive days and pooled by animal. After saline extraction, IgA content was measured by ELISA. Data were analysed by one-way ANOVA, and means were compared with Tukey's test (P < 0.05). Results showed that puppies have lower faecal IgA concentrations than mature dogs (P < 0.05); senior animals presented intermediary results. The reduced faecal IgA concentration in puppies is consistent with the reduced serum and salivary IgA concentrations reported previously, suggesting a reduced mucosal immunity in this age group. Although some studies have found an increased serum IgA concentration in older dogs, this may differ from the intestinal secretion of IgA, which appears to be lower in some senior animals (four of the eight dogs studied).
authors: Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Department, College of Agrarian and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, SP, Brazil.
authors: Leandro
authors: L
authors: Zaine
authors: Chayanne
authors: C
authors: Ferreira
authors: Marcia de O S
authors: Mde O
authors: Gomes
authors: Mariana
authors: M
authors: Monti
authors: Leticia
authors: L
authors: Tortola
authors: Ricardo S
authors: RS
authors: Vasconcellos
authors: Aulus C
authors: AC
authors: Carciofi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A