CREATINE-KINASE IN THE DOG - A REVIEW

In the dog, creatine kinase (CK) is mostly present in the skeletal mus cles, myocardium, brain and intestine. The MM isoenzyme predominates i n muscles and myocardium. In plasma, reference values depend on the te chnique used and CK-MB accounts for about 30-45% of total CK activity Sex has no influence on plasma CK activity, which is higher in young d ogs than in adults. Plasma CK is elevated after physical exercise. Aft er its release from the cells, CK reaches the plasma mostly via the ly mphatic route and then remains in the plasma compartment. It is rapidl y cleared with a half-life of about 2 hours. Muscle diseases are the m ain source of plasma CK elevations: inherited myopathies, malignant hy perthermia, hypothyroidism, vitamin E-selenium deficiency, prolonged d ecubitus, intramuscular injections, surgery, etc. Plasma CK is also in creased in experimental myocardial infarction, for which the dog is an interesting model, allowing quantification of the damage by measuring the total CK activity released.