Evaluation of salivary vasopressin as an acute stress biomarker in healthy dogs with stress due to noise and environmental challenges

Abstract

Background Stress is associated with various detrimental changes in physiological health that affect an animal’s quality of life. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic-adreno-medullar (SAM) axis are two main physiological pathways that constitute the stress response of an organism. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a mediator of the HPA axis and is known to be related to social behaviours and stress. The serum concentration of AVP is higher in more aggressive dogs and humans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Salivary biomarker analysis is a non-invasive method to assess stress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using salivary AVP as an acute stress biomarker in dogs. Salivary AVP concentration was measured before and after exposure to all relevant environmental stimuli (i.e. car trip to the lab, physical examination by the veterinarian, and sampling procedure,) and then after 30 min of vacuum noise exposure. Behavioural assessments, physiologic parameter assessments, and serum cortisol analysis were conducted in combination. Statistical analysis was conducted separately in the total study population, the less stressed group, and the more stressed group, respectively. Results Based on stress behaviour analysis scores, 28 dogs were classified into less or more stressed groups. All four physiologic parameters (blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate) were significantly increased after noise and environmental challenges, in the more stressed group. Serum cortisol did not show any significant change. Salivary AVP significantly decreased after noise and environmental stimulation in the more stressed group but not in the less stressed group. Salivary AVP and blood pressure changes were negatively correlated in the more stressed group. Conclusion Salivary AVP may be a potential acute stress biomarker in dogs.

Cortisol Levels of Shelter Dogs in Animal Assisted Interventions in a Prison: An Exploratory Study

“…Although our study considers only salivary cortisol as a physiological biomarker for measuring animal welfare, our results open the doors for further investigation about the benefit of AAI for the improvement of the welfare of kennel dogs. Besides the evaluation of animal behavior [ 34 ], a comprehensive assessment of animal welfare based on easy-to-detect physiological measures (i.e., by noninvasive procedures that could be stressful by themselves) could include the evaluation of β-endorphin [ 74 ], salivary Arginine vasopressin (AVP) [ 75 ] and IgA [ 76 ] concentrations, vanillylmandelic acid/creatinine ratios (VMA/Cr) in urine [ 77 ], specific biochemical parameters (e.g., acute phase and glycated proteins [ 74 ]) as well as each dog’s surface temperature (measured by infrared thermography [ 77 , 78 ]), which have been demonstrated to be reliable measures of animal stress levels.…”

Copeptin: A Neuroendocrine Biomarker of Covid-19 Severity

“…The inflammation, pain, lung injury, plasma osmolarity changes and psychological stress associated with COVID-19 are behind the activation of the stress-adapting endocrine axis with a consequent increase in circulating AVP/copeptin [ 6 , 7 ]. Therefore, we aimed in this study to investigate the changes in serum copeptin level, and its differentiating power of COVID-19 cases severity on admission time.…”

“…Stress, inflammation and pain are the consequences of COVID-19 infection. Stress stimulates arginine vasopressin (AVP) secretion through the activation of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis or cortical neurons induced hypothalamus [ 6 , 7 ]. Besides, lung injury may lead to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction causing an insufficient filling of the left atrium with a subsequent increase of AVP [ 8 ].…”

An Investgation About the Relationship Between Vasopressin and Oxytocin in Persistent Type Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder

“…Increases in autonomic responses to social threats and anxiety have been associated with vasopressin. 15 In males, vasopressin was shown to cause aggressive behavioral response to social stimulus. 16,17 On the other hand, oxytocin is a component of social and passive coping skills and allows active and mobilized coping strategies through interaction with vasopressin.…”

“…Vasopressin plays a role in emotional behavior including fear, anxiety and aggression as well as its effects on fluid hemostasis and regulation of blood pressure. Increases in autonomic responses to social threats and anxiety have been associated with vasopressin [ 15 ]. In males, vasopressin was shown to cause aggressive behavioral response to social stimulus [ 16 , 17 ].…”