Acute-phase proteins (APPs) are biomarkers of systemic inflammation, which allow monitoring the response to surgery and post-operative complications. Ovariectomy (OVE) can be a useful model to evaluate surgical trauma and inflammation in feline species. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the acute-phase response (APR) after applying two different OVE techniques by measuring serum levels of serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), total serum proteins (TSPs), albumin (ALB), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) during the first 48 h post-surgery (hospital stay). Forty-two female cats were selected for elective spaying. The animals were randomly distributed into two groups: laparoscopic OVE (L-OVE) and midline OVE (M-OVE). Serum SAA, Hp, TSPs, ALB, and PON-1 were measured before surgery and 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h post-surgery. Unlike negative APPs such as PON-1 and ALB, SAA is the most sensitive positive APP for monitoring the inflammatory response in cats undergoing OVE following laparoscopic and conventional surgery. OVE performed in cats via both laparoscopic and midline techniques results in a significative increase in SAA levels, with early recovery, minor variations in serum total protein, and no significant changes in albumin, haptoglobin, or PON-1 over a 48-h period post-procedure. Based on SAA concentrations, the response to surgical trauma does not differ between surgical techniques.
Keywords: acute-phase proteins; feline; laparoscopy; ovariectomy; surgical trauma.