The article presents a review of literature concerning acute phase proteins (APP) in veterinary diagnostics and health monitoring of ruminants, dogs, cats and horses. The concentrations of APP in the serum may change in different ways, depending on factors responsible for the acute phase reaction. The results of previous studies have shown that the APP response (the type of APP reacting and the intensity of reactions) vary in different animal species. The results of experiments conducted by many researchers enable the conclusion that the analysis of APP concentration in the serum may provide valuable information on the existence and severity of inflammation in animals and humans. The analysis of APP concentrations seems to be particularly advantageous with respect to their potential usage as markers of asymptomatic and subclinical infections. Since the APP response is nonspecific, the analysis of APP concentrations alone does not provide an answer to the question whether changes in APP levels have infective background or not. Changes in APP concentrations are observed also during neoplastic diseases, stress and pregnancy. Lack of specificity is undoubtedly a limitation in the use of APP for diagnostic purposes; however, the knowledge that APP levels in the serum increase during a range of pathological conditions can and should be used. It has been shown that APP might be a valuable indicator of treatment efficacy because after an appropriate therapy the values of APP in the serum return to their physiological ranges much more quickly than other parameters. Considering the intensity of studies concerning APP in the whole world, including Poland, it is possible that in the near future APP indexes which improve differential diagnostics will be established.
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