Plasma concentration of vitamin C in dogs with a portosystemic shunt.

Most mammals, including dogs, synthesize vitamin C in the liver. We measured the plasma concentration of vitamin C to assess the body vitamin C status in 15 dogs with a portosystemic shunt (PSS). The plasma biochemical parameters indicated liver abnormalities in all the dogs. In contrast, the plasma concentration of vitamin C ranged from 2.21 to 9.03 mg/L in the 15 dogs and was below the reference range (3.2 to 8.9 mg/L) in only 2 dogs. These findings suggest that vitamin C status is not impaired in dogs with PSS.