Serum amyloid A reference intervals in raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis): Implications for detecting inflammation

Inflammation is a fundamental defense mechanism in animals, and its accurate detection is essential for diagnosis and treatment in veterinary medicine. Serum amyloid A (SAA), an acute-phase positive protein (APP), is widely used to detect inflammation in domestic animals. However, its application in wildlife, particularly raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis), remains underexplored. This study aimed to establish a reference interval (RI) for SAA in raccoon dogs and explore its applicability as a biomarker of inflammation. A total of 83 blood samples from 43 raccoon dogs collected from the Korean Wildlife Rescue Center were categorized into three clinical groups: clinically healthy (CH), mild injury (M), and severe injury (S). The SAA concentrations were significantly higher in the S group than in the CH and M groups, whereas no significant difference was observed between the CH and M groups. The RI for SAA in CH raccoon dogs was determined to be 0.13–1.4 mg/L. Although SAA may have limited sensitivity for detecting mild or localized inflammation, the results support its use as a reliable marker of severe inflammation in raccoon dogs. Future studies should explore other APPs to improve the diagnostic accuracy of inflammation in wildlife health assessment.