Abstract
Faecal haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations in apparently healthy experimental Beagle dogs and in dogs of various breeds kept in private households or at breeders were measured by reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in an effort to define the physiological concentrations of faecal Hb in the dog. In 88% (53) of 60 experimental Beagle dogs (30 males and 30 females), the RPLA titres were 1:2 and 1:8 and the faecal Hb concentrations ranged from 40.0 to 431.5 (mean 184.1±92.6) μg/g faeces by ELISA. No significant difference was found in Hb levels or RPLA titres between males and females. Seven dogs (12%) had significantly greater RPLA titres and Hb concentrations by ELISA than the remaining dogs. In 84% (45) of the 53 dogs kept in private households or at breeders, the RPLA titres were >1:1 to 1:8 and the faecal Hb concentrations ranged from 7.1 to 456.7 (mean 137.5±128.7) μg/g faeces in ELISA. Eight of these dogs (15.1% of 53 dogs) had significantly greater RPLA titres and Hb concentrations by ELISA than the remaining dogs. There were no significant differences between the Beagles and dogs kept in private households or at breeders. In conclusion, in 98 (86.7% of 113) dogs the physiological concentrations of RPLA titres were >1:1 to 1:8 and the faecal Hb concentrations were 143.5–185.1 μg/g (95% confidence level). Approximately 13.3% of apparently healthy dogs had higher faecal Hb concentrations, suggesting the presence of subclinical haemorrhages. Four dogs suffering from colorectal cancer also had high faecal Hb concentrations.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Adams, E.C. and Layman, K.M., 1974. Immunochemical confirmation of gastrointestinal bleeding. Annals of Clinical Laboratory Science, 4, 343-349
Ahlquist, D.A., McGill, D.B., Schwartz, S., Taylor, W.F. and Owen, R.A., 1985. Fecal blood levels in health and disease: a study using Hemo-Quant. New England Journal of Medicine, 312, 1422-1428
Barrows, G.H., Burtan, R.M., Jarrett, D.D., Russell, G.G., Alford, M.D. and Songster, C.L., 1978. Immunochemical detection of human blood in feces. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 69, 342-345
Bradford, M.M., 1976. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Analytical Biochemistry, 72, 248-254
Cook, A.K., Gilson, S.D., Fischer, W.D. and Kass, P.H., 1992. Effect of diet on results obtained by use of commercial test kits for detection of occult blood in feces of dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 53, 1749-1751
Gilson, S.D., Parker, B.B. and Twedt, D.C., 1990. Evaluation of two commercial test kits for detection of occult blood in feces of dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 51, 1385-1387
Greegor, D.H., 1967. Diagnosis of large-bowel cancer in the asymptomatic patient. Journal of the American Medical Association, 18, 943-945
Jinbo, T., Shinmura, R., Shida, T., Shimizu, M., Honda, M., Hayashi, S., Iguchi, K. and Yamamoto, S., 1997. Experimental detection of canine haemoglobin (occult blood) in canine faeces by reversed passive latex agglutination. Veterinary Research Communications, 21, 347-353
Kachmar, J.F., 1970. Tests for occult blood. In: N.W. Tietz (ed.), Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry, (W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia), 279-282
Macrae, F.A. and St John, D.J.B., 1982. Relationship between patterns of bleeding and hemoccult sensitivity in patients with colorectal cancers or adenomas. Gastroenterology, 82, 891-898
Nakane, P.K. and Kawaoi, A., 1974. Peroxidase-labelled antibody. A new method of conjugation. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, 22, 1084-1091
Saito, H., Tsuchida, S., Fujita, H., Fukuda, S., Aisawa, T., Munakata, A. and Yoshida, Y., 1982. An immunological test for fecal occult blood by counter immunoelectrophoresis. False-positive reaction due to non-hemoglobin proteins in the tests with an anti-crude hemoglobin antibody. Japanese Journal of Gastroenterology, 79, 1944-1949 (in Japanese with English summary)
Saito, H., Tsuchida, S., Kakizaki, R., Fukushi, M., Sano, M., Aizawa, N., Munakata, A. and Yoshida, Y., 1984. An immunological fecal occult blood test for mass screening of colorectal cancer by reversed passive hemagglutination (RPHA). Japanese Journal of Gastroenterology, 81, 2831 (in Japanese)
Saito, H., Tsuchida, S., Kakizaki, R., Aizawa, N., Munakata, A. and Yoshida, Y., 1985. An immunological fecal occult blood test for mass screening of colorectal cancer. Basic Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Supplement),13, 39-44 (in Japanese)
Simon, J.B., 1985. Occult blood screening for colorectal carcinoma: A critical review. Gastroenterology, 88, 820-837
St John, D.J.B. and Young, G.P., 1978. Evaluation of radiochromium blood loss studies in unexplained iron-deficiency anaemia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine, 8, 121-126
Stroehlein, J.R., Fairbanks, V.F. and Mcgill, D.B., 1976. Hemoccult detection of fecal occult blood quantitated by radioassay. American Journal of Digestive Diseases, 21, 841-844
Uchida, K., Matsuse, R., Miyachi, N. and Tomita, S., 1990. Immunological fecal occult blood test. Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine (Supplement), 48, 1276-1285 (in Japanese)
Winawer, S.T. and Fleisher, M., 1982. Sensitivity and specificity of the fecal occult blood test for colorectal neoplasia. Gastroenterology, 82, 986-991
Yamamoto, S., Tagata, K., Nagahata, H., Ishikawa, Y., Morimatsu, M. and Naiki, M., 1992. Isolation of canine C-reactive protein and characterization of its properties. Veterinary Immunology and Immuno-pathology, 30, 329-339
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jinbo, T., Shimizu, M., Hayashi, S. et al. Immunological determination of faecal haemoglobin concentrations in dogs. Vet Res Commun 22, 193–201 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006025422317
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006025422317