Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of nephrotoxic doses of gentamicin on serum activity of hepatocellular enzymes, levels of liver function markers, and liver histology of dogs. Nine dogs, randomly assigned to two groups (A and B) of five and four dogs each, were used for the study. Baseline values for kidney function, hepatocellular, hepatobiliary, and liver function parameters were assayed initially. Gentamicin injections (100 mg/kg) were given intravenously daily for 10 days to the dogs in Group A, while the Group B dogs served as the untreated control. After the 10 days of injections, blood was collected from the dogs for re-assay of the serum biochemistry. Liver and kidney tissues were processed for histopathology. Results showed that in addition to the significant (p < 0.01) increase in serum levels of creatinine (14-fold), urea (3-fold), and uric acid (4-fold) in the Group A dogs following the gentamicin injections, there were significant (p < 0.01) multiple fold increases in the serum activities of alanine aminotransferase 6-fold), aspartate aminotransferase (5-fold), alkaline phosphatase (3-fold), and serum bilirubin levels (5-fold). In both Group A and B dogs, there were no significant alterations (p > 0.05) in the levels of serum proteins and total cholesterol after the injections. Histological study revealed severe damage to the liver and kidney parenchyma in the Group A dogs only. It was concluded that in addition to kidney damage, the administration of nephrotoxic doses of gentamicin to dogs led to significant hepatocellular and hepatobiliary damage, but had no significant effect on the hepatic synthetic function (serum levels of total cholesterol, total proteins, albumin and globulins). Due consideration should be given to the effects of gentamicin on the liver when higher doses are used experimentally or clinically in dogs.
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The authors acknowledge the research support of the Biomedical Research Support Unit of the Foundation for Education and Research in Health, Nsukka in the biochemical analysis of the serum samples and the technical support of staff of the Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in relation to the care and handling of the dogs used for the study.
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The dogs used for the study were humanely handled all through the study. The protocol for care and use of the dogs for the experiment was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka (Approval Reference Number: FVM-UNN-IACUC-2021-0264). All institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.
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Ezema, A.S., Ihedioha, T.E., Num-Adom, S.M. et al. Alterations in serum activity of hepatocellular enzymes, levels of liver function markers, and liver histology of dogs given high (nephrotoxic) doses of gentamicin. Comp Clin Pathol 31, 115–122 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-021-03314-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-021-03314-0