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Posted: 9th April 2026

ELISA test validated for serotonin metabolite measuring
The ELISA test would be more widely available to vets.
The test can measure for the metabolite in dogs’ urine.

A new study has validated the use of a commercially available test to measure the metabolite of serotonin in the urine of dogs.

When measured against the current ‘gold standard’ test, the ELISA test proved precise at measuring for 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA).

Researchers from the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, at the University of Cambridge, assessed urine samples from 26 dogs undergoing routine diagnostic evaluation at a referral hospital. The samples were then analysed with both the ELISA testing kit and the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

The results revealed the ELISA test to be reliable, with an acceptable level of precision and availability. However, while it was particularly precise at low concentrations of 5-HIAA, researchers did note a slightly higher observed error at higher concentrations.

The team concluded that the ELISA test was a more accessible, less invasive and relatively low-cost method for assessing 5-HIAA in dogs.

Researchers have called for further validation work on the test, addressing the preanalytical factors which may influence the measurement of concentrations. It also advises investigation into whether measuring urinary 5-HIAA is a good surrogate marker for physiologically active circulating serotonin in dogs.

Dr Penny Watson, senior author of the study, said: “I am very hopeful that, after further validation, this ELISA will prove to be a reliable, simple and cheap test for 5-HIAA in the urine, facilitating further research into the role of serotonin in the pathogenesis of canine diseases.

“We have long suspected that some individual dogs and breeds may have higher circulating serotonin than others and that this might predispose them not only to heart disease but also some common diseases such as chronic pancreatitis and kidney disease. They would also be more susceptible to serotinergic syndrome when medicated with drugs such as tramadol or trazadone. Further research in this area would thus be directly relevant to small animal practitioners.”

The full study can be found in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.

Image © Liudmila Bohush/Shutterstock



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