Abstract
Plasma histamine levels were measured in 11 clinically healthy cats and 15 cats with allergic dermatitis. Histamine levels were markedly elevated in 5/15 allergic cats. A calcium ionophore, A23187, stimulates histamine release from feline peripheral blood cells. Immunostaining of blood smears from clinically healthy cats revealed that approximately 10% of eosinophils possessed histamine-containing granules. These results indicate that some peripheral eosinophils in cats contain histamine and can release histamine by appropriate stimulation.