2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Fresh serum samples from healthy dogs (n = 10) were collected and used to perform a serum chemistry profile and measure serum cobalamin and folate concentrations. All healthy dogs had serum cobalamin and folate concentrations within the respective reference intervals of 251-908 ng/L and 7.7-24.4 lg/L. Surplus serum samples from 31 hypocobalaminemic (serum cobalamin <150 ng/L) dogs were prospectively enrolled. Nineteen out of 31 hypocobalaminemic dogs also had decreased serum folate concentrations (serum folate <7.3 lg/L; low B 9 ), whereas twelve had increased serum folate concentrations (serum folate >18.7 lg/L; high B 9 ). A previously validated gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method was used to quantify serum glycine, glutamic acid, methionine, tyrosine, tryptophan, and lysine concentrations. A Kruskal-Wallis test and a Dunn's post-test were performed to compare the concentrations of the six amino acids amongst healthy dogs and dogs with hypocobalaminemia with decreased or increased serum folate concentrations.