GI04 - Serum Cobalamin and Methylmalonic Acid Concentrations in Dogs with Parvoviral Enteritis

Abstract: Background – Canine parvovirus causes significant intestinal damage, potentially resulting in malabsorption. Measurement of cobalamin is used as a marker of ileal malabsorption in patients with chronic enteropathy. Prevalence of cobalamin deficiency in dogs with parvoviral enteritis has not been described.

Objective – Determine serum cobalamin and methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations in dogs with parvoviral enteritis, healthy dogs, and dogs with non-parvovirus acute diarrhea (non-PVAD) of similar age.

Animals – 31 healthy control dogs, 30 dogs with parvoviral enteritis (positive fecal parvovirus antigen test or PCR), and 24 dogs with non-PVAD (negative antigen test and PCR). Dogs were < 10 months and had not received cobalamin supplementation.

Methods – Prospective, case-control study. Serum cobalamin (all dogs) and MMA (63 dogs) concentrations were measured within 24 hours of presentation.

Results – Median (min. – max.) cobalamin concentrations were 784 ng/L (293 – 1,619) in the healthy group, 447 ng/L (< 150 – 805) in the parvovirus group, and 527 ng/L (160 – 8,838) in the non-PVAD group. Serum MMA concentrations were 815 mmol/L (588 – 1,466), 858 (554 – 2,870), and 776 (392 – 831). Serum cobalamin concentrations were significantly lower in the parvovirus group than in the healthy group (p = 0.0002), but not the non-PVAD group (p = 0.1517). No significant differences in serum MMA were found (p = 0.1623).

Conclusions and clinical importance – Dogs with parvoviral enteritis had lower serum cobalamin concentrations than healthy controls, but did not appear to have cobalamin deficiency at the cellular level.