Influence of Breed Size, Age, Fecal Quality, and Enteropathogen Shedding on Fecal Calprotectin and Immunoglobulin A Concentrations in Puppies During the Weaning Period

Grellet, A.; Heilmann, R.M.; Polack, B.; Feugier, A.; Boucraut-Baralon, C.; Grandjean, D.; Grützner, N.; Suchodolski, J. S.; Steiner, J.M.; Chastant-Maillard, S.

Fecal calprotectin concentrations ranged from 2.9 to 421.4 lg/g feces (median, 15.2 lg/g feces). Of the 254 puppies included, 44 (17%) had a fecal concentration >49 lg/g feces (threshold of clinical interest). 19 Fecal calprotectin concentration was significantly affected by age (P = .001) but not by breed size (P = .217), viral infection (CPV2, CCV, or both ; P = .863), or parasitic infection (G. duodenalis, C. ohioensis complex, C. canis, T. canis, or both; P = .791; Table 3 ). Fecal calprotectin concentration was not associated with fecal score (P = .851). The concentration of fecal calprotectin was higher and more variable in younger puppies between 5 and 8 weeks of age than in the older puppies (9-11 weeks of age; Fig 5) . Twenty-two, 21, and 7% of puppies had fecal calprotectin concentrations >49 lg/g feces at, respectively, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-11 weeks of age.