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Serum serotonin as a marker for behavioural problems in dogs
A study presented by Laboklin at the BSAVA congress in 2018 (by Corinna N. Weber, Brigitte König and Elisabeth Müller) showed that the serotonin concentration was markedly lower in dogs with bevahioural problems like anxiety or hyperaggression than in clinically healthy dogs with normal behaviour. Laboklin now offers serotonin determinations in canine serum.Serum serotonin can be a useful parameter for the diagnosis of behavioural problems since it can help evaluate the possible value of therapy options including serotonin agonists or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors without the danger of serotonin syndrome.
Methods:
Serotonin analysis was performed using a commercially available ELISA developed for humans. The test was validated using serum samples from clinically healthy dogs. For the study, serum samples were taken from dogs with diagnosed behavioural problems (n=40), including separation anxiety (n=22) and hyperaggression (n=9), as well from clinically healthy dogs with normal behaviour (n=49).
Results:
The test validation found an intra-assay variation coefficient of 7.5% and an inter-assay variation coefficient of 9.1% for dog serum samples. Dogs showing normal behaviour had a mean serotonin concentration of 184.79 ± 91.13 ng/ml (minimum: 65.84 ng/ml, maximum 421.93 ng/ml). In the samples from dogs with diagnosed behaviour problems, we found serum serotonin concentrations of 66.15 ± 32.41 ng/ml (minimum: 5.70 ng/ml, maximum 153.74 ng/ml), with almost no difference between dogs with anxiety (65.35 ±29.68 ng/ml) and those with hyperaggression (56.08 ± 47.98 ng/ml). One sample from an anxious dog was excluded from the analysis due to its extremely high serotonin concentration (2165 ng/ml).
Tests parameters at Laboklin:
- Serum sample, 0.5 ml. Protected from light.
- Method: HPLC-analysis.
- Blood sample has to be centrifuged very soon (<1 hour) after collection and the serum separated.
- Keep the serum sample frozen if possible (at least refrigerated).
- Shipment of the sample: always refrigerated or frozen. Ideally frozen in a cooler with 2-3 cool packs.
- The sample must reach the lab cool, or better frozen. The test will not be run if the sample do not arrive cooled. If not cooled, the results will be falsely low with a pathologically low result. Unnecessary serotonin supplementation or medication can be somewhat toxic (serotonin syndrom).
Please note that we also offer Behaviour Profile -dog (serotonin + T4 + vit. B6)
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