Use of serum C-reactive protein as an early marker of inflammatory activity in canine type II immune-mediated polyarthritis: case report

Abstract

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Monitoring systemic inflammatory activity during steroid therapy of canine immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) is difficult and mainly relies on clinical signs.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Canine serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured serially and blinded during a 27-week follow-up period of a case of <it>Anaplasma phagocytophilia </it>induced type II immune-mediated polyarthritis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>WBC was, as expected, observed not to reflect the inflammatory activity during steroid treatment in a clinical useful manner, whereas, CRP is suggested a valuable unbiased marker of inflammatory activity during steroid treatment in this case.</p>