Abstract
The presence of abdominal masses in canine patients represents a frequent and diagnostically challenging clinical presentation in veterinary medicine. This study aimed to clinical and ultrasonographic identification of abdominal masses in companion dogs with surgical removal of these masses, and estimates the pre- and postoperative health status through measurement of various serum biochemical markers. A total of 187 companion dogs of different ages and sexes which admitted to a number of private veterinary clinics in Baghdad and Wasit provinces (Iraq) were tested clinically and ultrasonographically. Collection of venous blood samples (PrOG), surgery, and postoperative (PoOG) care re-sampling of venous blood after one month. Additionally, 13 healthy dogs were subjected to venous blood sampling (HCG). For biochemical testing, specific quantitative ELISAs’ kits were utilized to estimate the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), chemokine C-X-C-motif receptor 4 [CXCR4), D-dimer (D2D), ferritin (Fe), haptoglobin (Hpt), interferon- (IFN-), interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), tumor protein p53 (TP53), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Clinically and ultrasonographically, abnormal abdominal masses were identified in 24 (12.83%) cases; in which, only 13 dogs were subjected to surgery that detected the presence of abdominal masses in viscera (46.15%), liver (23.08%), pancreas (15.38%), spleen (7.69%), and stomach (7.69%). Grossly, masses were identified as enlarged organs (30.77%), tumors (30.77%), fluids and / or fats (30.77%), and hematomas (7.69%). In comparison to values of HCG, the findings of CRP, IL-1, TP53 and VEGF were elevated significantly in samples of PrOG and PoOG; however, values of these markers were reduced significantly in samples of PoOG when compared to those of PrOG. For CXCR4, D2D, Hpt, and TNF-α, significant increases were identified in samples of PrOG but not (p>0.05) in PoOG. In contrast, vales of Fe were decreased markedly in samples of both PrOG and PoOG; however, values of PoOG were significantly lower than those of PrOG. Regarding IFN-, though values of PrOG were elevated significantly, results were decreased in samples of PoOG. In conclusion: Existence and impacts of abdominal masses in companion dogs might be more than expected, suggesting that frequent ultrasonography appears necessary to maintenance the health status. Also, measurement of various biochemical tests could provide an indicator about the negative extent of different abdominal masses. Therefore, furthermore studies must be done on abdominal masses with inclusion other factors (such as age, sex, and breed) and techniques (such as histo-immunohistochemistry and molecular assays)

Key words: Canine abdominal diseases, Canis familiaris, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Ultrasonography