Canine specific ELISA for coagulation factor VII.

ABSTRACT

Canine coagulation factor VII (FVII) deficiency can be hereditary or acquired and may cause life threatening bleeding episodes if untreated. FVII procoagulant activity can be measured by FVII activity (FVIIC), but assays for measurement of canine specific FVII antigen (FVIIAg) have not been available to date. In this study, a canine specific ELISA for measurement of FVIIAg in plasma was developed and validated. The FVIIAg ELISA correctly diagnosed homozygous and heterozygous hereditary FVII deficiency. Together with activity based assays, such as FVIIC, the FVIIAg ELISA should be valuable in the diagnosis of hereditary canine FVII deficiency.