Open AccessEffect of Age, Feeding, and Omeprazole Administration on Gastric Tonometry in Healthy Neonatal Foals
Author(s) -
Sanchez L.C.,
Giguère S.,
Javsicas L.H.,
Bier J.,
Walrond C.J.,
Womble A.Y.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0065.x
Subject(s) - medicine , omeprazole , pco2 , gastroenterology , anesthesia
Background: Gastric tonometry is commonly used in humans as an assessment of intestinal mucosal perfusion. Values in healthy foals are currently unknown. Hypothesis: Age, enteral feeding, and omeprazole administration would significantly alter gastric tonometry measurements in neonatal foals. Animals: Nine clinically normal foals were used to assess the effect of age and feeding, and 8 similar foals were used to assess the effect of omeprazole. Methods: At 1, 7, and 14 days of age, gastric intramucosal PCO 2 (PgCO 2 ) and arterial blood gas samples were obtained at baseline, immediately after feeding milk, and 1 and 2 hours after fasting for calculation of the intramucosal‐arterial PCO 2 difference (ΔCO 2 ). To evaluate the effect of omeprazole, foals were evaluated twice as above, 2 hours after fasting, comparing administration of omeprazole to no drug. Results: There was a significant effect of age and feeding on PgCO 2 and ΔCO 2 , whereas arterial PCO 2 was not significantly affected by these factors. Postfeeding ΔCO 2 values were significantly lower than fasted values. Baseline and postfeeding ΔCO 2 increased with age. There was no significant effect of age on data collected after 1 or 2 hours of fasting. The 90% reference interval for ΔCO 2 data collected after fasting was 0–54 mmHg. Foals had a significantly higher mean gastric pH and significantly higher ΔCO 2 and PgCO 2 following omeprazole relative to no treatment. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Because of the high and variable ΔCO 2 , which is exacerbated by omeprazole administration, the reference interval in foals is extremely wide.