Abstract
Aim:Kangal dogs, known as guard dogs in many countries of the world, have been found to eat their own puppies during their first 24 h following birth, which is called as maternal cannibalism. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) are important enzymes for purine metabolism. In this study, the aim is to evaluate ADA and XO activities in Kangal dogs with maternal cannibalism.Materials and Methods:The material of the study consists of the blood sera of Kangal dog breed with and without maternal cannibalism in the breeders around Sivas city and its districts. ADA and XO activities in blood serum of these animals were investigated by spectrophotometric method.Results:ADA activities in Kangal dogs with maternal cannibalism were increased to the control group without maternal cannibalism (p<0.01).Conclusion:Postnatal measurement of ADA activity in dogs may be useful in assessing maternal cannibalism.
Highlights
Maternal cannibalism, in which a mother eats her young after birth, is seen in various animal species ranging from insects to mammals and is often explained by nutritional deficiencies or environmental stress
Postnatal measurement of Adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in dogs may be useful in assessing maternal cannibalism
When ADA activities were compared between maternal cannibalism and control group, maternal cannibalism group activity was statistically higher than the control group (p
Summary
In which a mother eats her young after birth, is seen in various animal species ranging from insects to mammals and is often explained by nutritional deficiencies or environmental stress. It is rare in non-human primates and is considered an abnormal behavior observed only in highstress conditions [1,2,3,4]. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) are important enzymes for purine metabolism. The ADA enzyme plays a role in the catabolic pathway of purine. Like other enzymes involved in the purine catabolic pathway, ADA is commonly found in mammalian tissues. The ADA enzyme is capable of fulfilling the functions of T-lymphocytes and has a vital role in the division and multiplication
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
