A 10 1/2  year-old intact male Golden Retriever, named “Mac”, weighed 72 pounds and has been an active and healthy competitive agility dog. He does have a history of low-grade cardiac mitral valve disease. He had been eating a combination of a grain-free premium commercial kibble and a raw meat diet. However, when his owner traveled to two recent agility trials with him, he developed very watery stools and had thrown up his meals. He was just the same otherwise, still was excited to do agility work with the same activity level, although he has experienced this digestive upset, despite eating the same foods and drinking only water brought from home.

The last time he had a similar digestive upset, his veterinarian examined him and prescribed metronidazole and an antacid. The veterinarian did not think that an abdominal ultrasound was needed, in spite of his owner’s concern about such conditions as an enlarged spleen or liver in this breed.

In order to assess his current cellular and metabolic health and predict any developing issues, the CellBIO isoprostane test was performed. Results were significantly elevated—3.2 ng/mL with the established normal range for canine isoprostane range of 0.5-1.75 ng/mL at our laboratory!

Further diagnostics including an abdominal ultrasound are needed. In the meantime, supplements to help bring down high levels of CellBIO isoprostane (include, in no priority order):

• Alpha-Lipoic acid
• Co-Enzyme Q-10
• Ginger
• Green tea
• Licorice
• Milk thistle and a few more like garlic and honey
• Resveratrol (as a natural supplement or as food like blueberries and cranberries)
• Soybeans
• Tomatoes
• Turmeric (curcumin) – without black pepper for dogs
• Vitamin E

Follow up CellBIO testing is recommended in about 6 months to see if the biomarker level of isoprostane in coming down.