Immunosensor for Assessing the Welfare of Trainee Guide Dogs

Cortisol is a well established biomarker hormone that regulates many processes in the body and is widely referred to as the stress hormone. Cortisol can be used as a stress marker to allow for detection of stress levels in dogs during the training process. This test will indicate if they will handle the stress under the training or if they might be more suitable as an assistant or companion dog. An immunosensor for detection of cortisol was developed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The sensor was characterized using chemical and topographical techniques. The sensor was calibrated and its sensitivity determined using a cortisol concentration range of 0.0005 to 50 μg/mL. The theoretical limit of detection was found to be 3.57 fg/mL. When the immunosensor was tested on canine saliva samples, cortisol was detected and measured within the relevant physiological ranges in dogs.