Possible immunodeficiency in related rottweiler dogs

Abstract

A litter of eight rottweiler pups is described in which two dogs died before the age of six months from systemic inflammatory disease, and two further pups developed inflammatory skin disease. All seven pups tested had a markedly low serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration (< 0.1 mg/ml) and six of these dogs also had subnormal serum IgG (< 0.1 to 6.4 mg/ml). Tissues taken from three diseased pups were examined immunohistochemically using a number of lymphoid markers. Secondary lymphoid tissues had a paucity of CD3+ T lymphocytes, although T cells were found within some inflammatory foci. B-lymphocyte follicles were present within lymphoid tissues, but there were irregularities of plasma cell development and a lack of plasma cells of all classes within mucosal and cutaneous sites. Inflammatory lesions were dominated by macrophages expressing class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex. Serum immunoglobulins were also investigated in eight related, clinically normal adult dogs. Five of these dogs, from two separate breeding lines, had subnormal serum IgA (< 0.1 to 0.15 mg/ml). The spectrum of disease within the affected litter may be consistent with an underlying inherited immunological defect, and the observed immunological abnormalities suggest a more complex disorder than simple IgA deficiency.

Risk factors for death from canine parvoviral-related disease in Australia

“…However, there was a significant effect within pedigree dogs: the highest case fatality rates were estimated for hounds, non-sporting dogs and gundogs, and the lowest fatality rates were estimated for terriers and working dogs. This trend may be due to differences in immune competence between specific breeds as immunological nonresponsiveness is thought to be controlled genetically, although interestingly pedigree types at greater risk of death in this study do not correlate with those specific breeds previously reported to be at greatest risk of CPV infection (Rottweiler, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, American pit bull terrier, Labrador retriever, Springer spaniel, and Yorkshire terrier) (Day, 1999;Glickman et al, 1985;Goddard and Leisewitz, 2010;Godsall et al, 2010;Smith-Carr et al, 1997). An estimated 0.1% of dogs in general are non-responsive to CPV vaccines and whilst this lack of response is genetically controlled it is seen across breeds (Welbon et al, 2011).…”

“…Unvaccinated puppies aged between six weeks and six months are at greatest risk of developing CPV-related disease, and the incidence of disease is also greater in the warmer months of the year (Godsall et al, 2010;Horner, 1983;Smith-Carr et al, 1997). The reported predisposition of certain breeds -including Rottweiler, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, American pit bull terrier, Labrador retriever, Springer spaniel and Yorkshire terrier (Day, 1999;Glickman et al, 1985;Goddard and Leisewitz, 2010;Godsall et al, 2010;Smith-Carr et al, 1997) -suggests genetic susceptibility to disease.…”

Concentrations of Total Serum Immunoglobulin E, A, G and M in Stray Dogs with Healthy and Dermatological Problems

“…Serum IgE concentration in stray dogs with dermatologic problem was significantly higher (P<0.001) than that of The significant increases of IgE concentrations were observed in the cases of flea-bite dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and food allergy 6,9 . Taszkun 10 found polysensitization in 98.6% of dogs with atopic dermatitis in intradermal skin tests.…”

“…Similarly, it has been suggested that measurement of IgE using ELISA was a reliable method (93-97%) in the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis in dogs 5 . Day 6 , has suggested that markedly low serum IgA and subnormal serum IgG concentrations was found in Rottweiler pups with inflammatory skin diseases. In the majority of canine cases of bacterial diseases, hypersensitivity disorders, endocrine dermatosis, dermatomycosis, parasitic disease, cutaneous Leishmaniasis and non-specific dermatopathies of uncertain aetiology were found to show intercellular deposits of IgG, M and A in skin sections…”

IgA deficiency in wolves from Canada and Scandinavia

“…The median IgA concentrations for both Scandinavian sample groups were below the chosen arbitrary cut-off of 0.1 g/l. Previously suggested cut-offs in different dog breeds include 0.3 g/l (Moroff et al, 1986), 0.22 g/l (Day and Penhale, 1988), 0.18 g/l (Felsburg et al, 1985), and 0.15 g/l (Day, 1999;Rivas et al, 1995) and thus, higher as compared to the cutoff we chose. The median IgA concentration was 0.035 g/l (mean = 0.045 g/l, SD = 0.061 g/l) for the 58 samples from freeranging wolves from the first sample group and 0.076 g/l (mean = 0.102 g/l, SD = 0.183 g/l) for the 92 samples from the second sample group.…”