No abstract

C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the major acute phase proteins in dogs; it is produced by the liver and rapidly increases in response to an inflammatory stimulus. The aim of this study was to measure CRP concentrations around parturition and to verify whether this protein could be useful, together with progesterone (P), to detect the end of pregnancy in bitches. CRP and P concentrations were measured on 66 serum samples from 28 healthy pregnant bitches, collected between-5 and +2 days from parturition. The effect of 'days from parturition', parity, and litter size on P and CRP concentration was analyzed. P and CRP values were significantly affected by 'days from parturition'. While P showed the expected decline during the last days of pregnancy, CRP concentration was above the normal range from the day of parturition onwards, beginning to increase at day-1. The CRP concentration profiles during the days around parturition have not been previously reported in the dog. However, the late rise and the low magnitude of increase make CRP difficult to use in clinical practice to assess the end of pregnancy in the bitch.