Serum α-proteinase inhibitor concentrations in dogs with exocrine pancreatic disease, chronic hepatitis or proteinuric chronic kidney disease.

Serum canine α-proteinase inhibitor (cα-PI) concentrations were evaluated in dogs with pancreatitis (n=24), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI; n=29), chronic hepatitis (CH; n=11) or proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKD-P; n=61) to determine whether systemic proteinase/proteinase-inhibitor balance is altered in these conditions. Dogs with CKD-P had significantly lower cα-PI concentrations than dogs with pancreatitis, EPI or CH; 16% of dogs with CKD-P had serum cα-PI concentrations below the reference interval. Serum and urine cα-PI concentrations were inversely correlated in dogs with CKD-P, but not in dogs with CH. This suggests that renal loss of cα-PI contributes to decreased serum concentrations in dogs with CKD-P, while hepatic cα-PI synthesis with CH either is not compromised or is counterbalanced by extrahepatic production.