The susceptibility of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in canine blood and plasma to enzymatic
degradation has limited the availability of endogenous ACTH assay for veterinary use. This
study examined if a proteinase (enzyme) inhibitor, aprotinin, mixed with blood at the time of
collection, would limit the loss of immunoreactive (IR) ACTH from canine plasma stored at
various temperatures. Blood was collected from laboratory-maintained dogs or dogs with
hyperadrenocorticism and placed into EDTA-containing tubes in the presence or absence of …