SERUM-PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS - POTENTIAL TEST FOR USE IN GERIATRIC COMPANION ANIMAL HEALTH-PROGRAMS

The electrophoretic patterns of 117 serum samples from 37 clinically h ealthy old dogs (age: 10.0+/-2.5 years, (x) over bar+/-SD) 47 old dogs (age: 9.7+/-2.0 years) with different diseases, 18 clinically healthy young dogs (age: 2.9+/-1.6 years) and 15 young dogs (age: 2.0+/-1.0 y ears) with different diseases were evaluated using agarose as a suppor ting matrix. Three major electrophoretic patterns were identified afte r densitometric scanning. The first pattern was a predominant pattern for the young healthy dogs (found in 67% of dogs in that group) and wa s considered normal for healthy dogs. The second pattern had relativel y higher proportions of beta and gamma globulins (polyclonal immunoglo bulinaemia) and was a predominant pattern among the old healthy dogs ( found in 51% of dogs in that group). The findings regarding the second pattern appear to suggest that they had been exposed to antigens duri ng their lives and that they had a well developed and responsive humor al immune response. The third pattern was characterized by high levels of cc globulins, it was the most common pattern in the old diseased d ogs (found in 70% of the dogs in that group). The third pattern was co nsidered to indicate an inflammatory response among old dogs when comp ared to young dogs (P <0.01). These patterns appear to suggest that be cause of aging and/or accumulated injury geriatric dogs will have high levels of polyclonal gamma-globulinaemia or acute phase reactants. Th e observed patterns, especially the one showing high levels of alpha-g lobulins, could be a valuable parameter in the starch for individuals requiring special attention and thus for the establishment of health p rogrammes for geriatric dogs. With further effort, serum protein elect rophoresis might prove to be a useful test for the evaluation of geria tric companion animals for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic reas ons.