Relationship of serum ferritin and iron concentrations and serum total iron-binding capacity to nonheme iron stores in dogs

The relationships of various iron-related analytes were evaluated in 95 dogs. Liver and spleen nonheme iron content was determined coulometrically on acid-digested tissue specimens. Serum iron concentration and total iron-binding capacity also were measured coulometrically, whereas serum ferritin concentration was measured by ELISA. Significant (P less than 0.0002) correlation was found between serum ferritin concentration and nonheme iron stores. Significant correlation was not found between nonheme iron stores and serum iron concentration or total iron-binding capacity. Serum ferritin concentration should provide a convenient and relatively noninvasive means of estimating iron stores in dogs.