Beyond WBC: The case for Canine CRP in modern veterinary diagnostics

 Canine CRP (cCRP) vs White Blood Cell Count  (WBC)

Canine C-reactive protein (cCRP) is a reliable inflammation marker with an established use in veterinary care, especially in Europe. It is routinely integrated into assessments of many clinical cases such as infection, pancreatitis, autoimmune disease, and suspicion of neoplasia and cancer.¹

Advantages of cCRP over WBC

Adoption and awareness of cCRP are rising outside of Europe, especially in regions where WBC count has traditionally been used to screen for inflammation, such as in North-America. As shown below cCRP has many advantages compared to WBC count:

Sensitivity

cCRP detects subclinical and mild inflammation, due to the liver’s quick response to proinflammatory cytokines. As the reference range of cCRP is very low, even mild cases lead to detectable elevated levels. These mild cases are often missed by WBC count, as small shifts of WBC count often falls within normal reference ranges or get masked by physiological variations. WBC count can also be impacted by non-inflammatory factors such as stress, age, excitement, and use of certain medications².

Speed

cCRP rises rapidly, reaching detectable elevated levels within 4-6 hours¹. WBC count has a much slower shift with minimal changes the first 12 hours, reaching clinical levels between 24 to 48 hours after onset.³

Monitoring

Due to the short half-life of cCRP the levels drop quickly when treatment with antibiotics is effective⁴, while WBC may remain elevated for days despite resolution of the underlying inflammatory condition.⁵

Prognosis

High levels of cCRP can predict severity in sepsis indicating poor prognosis and higher mortality risk without intervention.⁶ As cCRP is rapidly elevated it is also a useful tool to evaluate the risk of infection after surgery.⁷

From reactive to proactive: Integrating cCRP into routine panels

Many laboratories include cCRP in panels and profiles as it is easily combined with analysis of other diagnostic markers in the same sample, which underlines that cCRP is shifting from being part of reactive care to proactive care.

In laboratories where WBC count is still used for inflammatory assessment, a first step could be to include cCRP to shed light on the cases where WBC count is falsely elevated, and in mild cases where elevated cCRP confirms the true pathology despite normal WBC count.

Why choose the Gentian Canine CRP Immunoassay?

The Gentian Canine CRP immunoassay, available since 2013, is a Particle-Enhanced Turbidimetric Immunoassay (PETIA) designed to deliver reliable and consistent results. Utilising canine-specific antibodies, the assay ensures exceptional specificity for canine CRP. 

Clinical applications

This versatile tool is essential for diagnosing and monitoring inflammatory conditions, evaluating treatment efficacy, and managing chronic diseases in canine patients.^1,2

Features and benefits

The assay is tailored specifically for canine CRP, ensuring precise and reproducible results across a wide measurement range, making it suitable for a variety of clinical cases. Fully automated for use on clinical chemistry analysers, it integrates seamlessly into standard laboratory workflows. With rapid turnaround times, the Gentian Canine CRP Assay supports timely and informed clinical decisions.

On instruments already in your lab

Its instrument-independent design has been rigorously validated across a broad range of clinical analysers, making it a versatile and dependable choice for veterinary diagnostics. 

Want to integrate cCRP in your lab or clinical practise?

Get in touch to receive a free validation kit*

Want to bring canine CRP into your laboratory or clinic? Contact us to explore how cCRP can improve inflammation assessment and support better clinical decisions. Send us an email marketing@gentian.com or fill out the form below.

References

1. Pepys M. et al. C-reactive protein: a critical update. J Clin Invest. 2003
2. Gröndahl, G. Veterinary Hematology – An introduction. Boule Diagnostics, 33267, Edition 4 (2019)
3. Hoshiya T. et al. Acute Phase Response in Toxicity Studies II. The Journal of Toxicological Sciences, 2001
4. Coventry B. et al. CRP identifies homeostatic immune oscillations in cancer patients: a potential treatment targeting tool? Journal of Translational Medicine 2009
5. Oberholzer S. et al. C-Reactive Protein in Dogs: A Review for the General Practitioner. Today’s Veterinary Practice. 2023
6. Ruggerone B. et al. Comparison of Protein Carbonyl (PCO), Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) as Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers of Septic Inflammation in Dogs. Veterinary Sciences Vet. Sci. 2021
7. Ceron J. et al. Acute phase proteins in dogs and cats: current knowledge and future perspectives. Veterinary Clinical Pathology 2005

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