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Effect of oral ursodeoxycholic acid on bile acids tolerance tests in healthy dogs
Author(s) -
ABRAHAM LA,
CHARLES JA,
HOLLOWAY SA
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2004.tb12646.x
Subject(s) - ursodeoxycholic acid , postprandial , bile acid , medicine , oral administration , endocrinology , bilirubin , gastroenterology , insulin
Objective T o determine whether oral administration of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) to healthy dogs alters the results of the bile acids tolerance test. Methods UDCA (15 mg/kg once daily) was administered to 16 healthy dogs for 7 days. Health of the dogs was assessed by clinical examination, haematology, serum biochemistry and a bile acids tolerance test. Normal liver structure was confirmed by histopathology at the end of the study. Bile acids tolerance tests were performed before and at the end of the treatment period, with each dog serving as its own control. For the post‐treatment bile acids tolerance test, UDCA was administered at the time of feeding. Results Pretreatment, the fasted serum total bile acid concentrations ranged between 0 and 9 μmol/L. In the majority of dogs, the postprandial total bile acid concentration was greater than the preprandial value, with a range of 0 to 16 μmol/L. The fasted total bile acid concentration was 0 μmol/L in most dogs (93.75%) after treatment with UDCA. Postprandial serum bile acids also remained within the reference range for the majority of dogs (93.75%) after UDCA treatment. A single dog had a postprandial bile acid concentration above the reference range, but the concentration was within the reference range when the assay was repeated the following day without concurrent administration of UDCA. The pre‐ and postprandial total serum bile acid concentrations were not significantly affected by UDCA treatment. Conclusion The administration of UDCA does not alter the bile acids tolerance test of normal healthy dogs.