Validation of salivary oxytocin and vasopressin as biomarkers in domestic dogs

MacLean, E. L., Gesquiere, L. R., Gee, N., Levy, K., Martin, W. L., Carter, C. S. (2018). Validation of salivary oxytocin and vasopressin as biomarkers in domestic dogs. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 293, 67-76. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.08.033 [PDF]

Oxytocin (OT) and Vasopressin (AVP) are phylogenetically conserved neuropeptides with effects on social behavior, cognition and stress responses. Although OT and AVP are most commonly measured in blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), these approaches present an array of challenges including concerns related to the invasiveness of sample collection, the potential for matrix interference in immunoassays, and whether samples can be collected at precise time points to assess event-linked endocrine responses. We validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the measurement of salivary OT and AVP in domestic dogs.