Studies of C-reactive protein stability with freezing and its usefulness in selected diseases in dogs.

Use a consistent CRP assay platform for serial monitoring, as inter-assay variability significantly affects result interpretation.

This study investigated the stability of C-reactive protein (CRP) under frozen storage conditions and evaluated its clinical utility as an inflammatory biomarker in dogs with infectious diseases. In Experiment 1, archived serum samples from dogs with experimentally induced hypovolemia were stored at -80°C for 14 weeks and reassayed using three commercially available platforms: Abcam canine CRP ELISA, Randox, and Gentian assays. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, CRP concentrations did not degrade with prolonged frozen storage; instead, values increased by an average of 3.58 mg/L after 14 weeks. Importantly, the three assays were not analytically equivalent, underscoring the need for consistency when serially monitoring patients. In Experiment 2, CRP was measured in dogs experimentally infected with Babesia gibsoni and Candidatus Mycoplasma hematoparvum, or with H3N2 canine influenza virus. CRP concentrations trended inversely with platelet count and hematocrit in hemoparasite-infected dogs, suggesting utility as a marker of disease severity. In the H3N2 cohort, vaccinated dogs showed significantly lower CRP concentrations compared to nonvaccinated dogs, indicating CRP may reflect vaccine-mediated protection against clinical inflammation. The study concludes that CRP is a useful biomarker for monitoring infectious diseases associated with systemic inflammation in dogs. Clinicians should use a single consistent assay platform for longitudinal monitoring, as inter-assay variability may confound interpretation of results.

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