[Selenium level in the sera of dogs and cats in West Pomerania and WestUkraine].

Objective: Main function of the trace element selenium is the protection of the body against free radicals by means of the selenium-containing enzyme glutathione peroxidase acting as an intracytoplasmatic antioxydant. This study determined serum selenium concentration in dogs and cats from West Pomerania, Poland, and West Ukraine (Lviv region).

Material And Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 74 dogs and 42 cats. 49 dogs and 20 cats were from West Pomerania, and 25 dogs and 22 cats from West Ukraine. Selenium concentrations were determined with a spectrofluorometric method according to Watkinson (1966), modified by Grzebula et al. (1977).

Results: The mean selenium concentrations in dog and cat serum in animals from West Pomerania were 2.927 and 6.169μmol/l, respectively and exceeded the serum selenium concentration in dogs and cats from West Ukraine by 0.687 and 2.053μmol/l, respectively. Statistically significant differences in selenium concentration were observed between healthy animals (3.842μmol/l) and those with symptoms of allergy (3.240μmol/l) or dogs with neoplasias (1.749μmol/l). No statistical differences in serum selenium concentration were related to age and to sex.

Conclusion: This research shows that in dogs with neoplasias, serum selenium concentration was about 45% lower than in healthy dogs.

Clinical Relevance: In patients with selenium deficiency supplementation of selenium might have a positive impact on the course of diseases like neoplasia, heart insufficiency, liver necrosis, myopathy, and pancreatitis.