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The effects of illness on urinary catecholamines and their metabolites in dogs

Background: Urinary catecholamines and metanephrines have been proposed as a diagnostic tool for identifying canine pheochromocytomas, but the effects of critical illness on urine concentrations of catecholamines and metanephrines is currently unknown.

Objectives: To examine the effects of illness on urine concentrations of catecholamines and metanephrines in dogs.

Animals: Twenty-five critically ill dogs and twenty-five healthy age- and gender-matched control dogs.

Methods: Prospective observational study. Urine was collected from healthy and critically ill dogs and urine concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine, metanephrine, and normetanephrine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. Urinary catecholamine and metanephrine:creatinine ratios were calculated and compared between groups.

Results: Urinary epinephrine, norepinephrine, metanephrine, and normetanephrine:creatinine ratios were higher in critically ill dogs when compared to a healthy control population (P = 0.0009, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P < 0.0001 respectively).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Illness has a significant impact on urinary catecholamines and their metabolites in dogs. Further investigation of catecholamine and metanephrine concentrations in dogs with pheochromocytomas is warranted to fully evaluate this test as a diagnostic tool, however the findings of this study suggest that the results may be difficult to interpret in dogs with concurrent illness. / Master of Science

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/76977
Date16 June 2010
CreatorsCameron, Kristin Nicole
ContributorsVeterinary Medical Sciences, Monroe, William E., Leib, Michael S., Meldrum, James Blair, Panciera, David L.
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, Text
Formatapplication/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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