DETERMINATION OF CANINE PROLACTIN BY USE OF A COMMERCIAL HETEROLOGOUSENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY KIT

The present study evaluated a commercial heterologous enzymeimmunoassa y (EIA) method for the determination of prolactin (PRL) in canine bloo d plasma and compared the results found with this heterologous method to the PRL concentrations measured by use of a commercial homologous P RL EIA. The heterologous PRL EIA was characterized by intra-assay coef ficients of variation (CV %) of 3-5 % for replicate determinations, an d inter-assay CV %'s of 5-7 % between means of duplicate determination s. The least detectable concentration was 0.1 mu g/L. A satisfying acc uracy was settled by a recovery of added PRL not different from 100 % at varying PRL levels. The cross-reactivity (CR) to canine growth horm one (GH) was 5 %. Both methods outlined equally well the changes in PR L concentrations induced by administration of metoclopramid and bromoc riptin; the specificity of both methods was further confirmed by a lac k of response to clonidin GH stimulation test. The results achieved wi th the two methods were not identical despite of identical dose respon se relations. This difference in test results was, however, considered to be of minor practical importance if locally established reference ranges are used for evaluation of test results.