Comparison of 51Chromium-labeled ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid and iohexol as blood markers for intestinal permeability testing in Beagle dogs

51Chromium-labeled ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (51Cr-EDTA) is the gold standard probe for assessing intestinal permeability (IP) in dogs, but exposure to radioactivity is a disadvantage. Iohexol is a safe contrast medium commonly used for medical imaging purposes and has been successfully applied more recently for the assessment of IP in animal models and humans. This study aimed at comparing 51Cr-EDTA and iohexol as IP blood markers in dogs. solution containing 51Cr-EDTA and iohexol was administered intragastrically to seven healthy laboratory Beagle dogs, and percentage recoveries in serum were calculated. The strong linear association (correlation, r = 0.76 and linear regression, y = 0.03 + 5.04x) between 51Cr-EDTA and iohexol supports the potential usefulness of iohexol as an IP blood marker in dogs.