Canine pyometra - plasma proteomics

Canine pyometra is a common inflammatory disease of the uterus in sexually mature bitches, caused by a secondary bacterial infection which leads to change in the plasma protein associated with the innate immune system. Proteomic offers a means to determine the profile of plasma in dogs with pyometra to provide important findings into general mechanisms operating during diverse inflammatory reactions. The plasma protein profile of healthy and pyometra affected bitches was determined by means of an isobaric tandem mass tag (TMT) label-based high-resolution quantitative proteomic approach. Six clinically healthy dogs (used as control group) and 6 dogs with pyometra were enrolled in the study. All dogs were admitted to the Small Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover and treated in accordance with the German Animal Welfare Law. The experimental design was approved by the Animal Welfare officer of the University of Veterinary Medicine and by the Ethic Committee of the responsible authority (Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, reference number 17A 101). Healthy dogs for blood collection were recruited by launching a call in the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover network for students and staff members for haemostasis study, providing a free clinical and laboratory health check of their animal in combination with the blood collection. Residual sample material was used in the present study.