Potential Role of Serum Alpha-Klotho in Early Detection of Renal Damage in Dogs With Pyometra

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of serum alpha-klo-tho levels in identifying renal damage associated with pyometra in dogs. The study was conducted on 30 female mixed-breed dogs. The dogs were divided into two groups based on anamnesis obtained from the owner, physical and gynecological examination findings, and diagnostic abdominal imaging results. The control group (group 1, n = 10) consisted of healthy dogs with no clinical or ultrasonographic findings of pyometra; the pyometra group (group 2, n = 20) consisted of dogs in which the uterine lumen was found to be filled with flocculated or non-flocculated, hypoechoic to hyperechoic fluid on ultrasonographic examination. Ten of the dogs in the pyometra group had open cervix pyometra, and ten had closed cervix pyometra. Blood samples from all dogs were analyzed for urea, creatinine, phosphorus, serum alpha-klotho, C-reactive protein, and symmetric dimethylarginine levels. White blood cell, C-reactive protein, phosphorus, and symmetric dimethylarginine values were significantly higher in the pyometra group compared to the control group (p < .01), while serum α-klotho levels were significantly lower in dogs with pyometra (p < .001). Compared to the open cervix pyometra group, the closed cervix pyometra group had higher white blood cell, C-reactive protein, creatinine, urea, phosphorus, and symmetric dimethylarginine levels (p < .05), and significantly lower alpha-klotho levels (p < .001). Significant negative correlations were found between serum alpha-klotho levels and white blood cell, C-reactive protein, phosphorus, and symmetric dimet- hylarginine in both pyometra and healthy dogs (r = −0.826, r = −0.861, r = −0.655, and r = −0.891, respectively; p < .01 for all). In conclusion, alt- hough significant changes in serum α-klotho levels were detected in dogs with pyometra, their diagnostic utility alone in identifying pyometra-induced kidney damage could not be determined.

Cite this article as: Yaprakci, Ö., Demirtaş, A. C., Özaslan, N., Turan, M., Çakalli, M. C., & Akkuş, T. (2026). Potential role of serum alpha-klotho in early detection of renal damage in dogs with pyometra. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 52, 0156, doi:10.5152/actavet.2026.26011.