A Review of Methods for Assessment of the Rate of Gastric Emptying in the Dog and Cat: 1898–2002

Gastric motility evaluated by electrogastrography and alternating current biosusceptometry in dogs

Association techniques could be the answer for evaluating electromechanical coupling and gastric emptying under basal conditions and after administration of drugs. Electrogastrography (EGG) and alternating current biosusceptometry (ACB) emerged due to their interesting nature, noninvasiveness and low cost. The aims were to examine in dogs the effect of erythromycin on gastric emptying by ACB and electrical and motor responses to erythromycin and propranolol by ACB and EGG respectively. Twelve beagle dogs ingested a solid test meal on separate days. Under anesthesia, gastric motility was evaluated by EGG and ACB after erythromycin and propranolol administration. Without anesthesia, gastric emptying was assessed under basal conditions and after erythromycin by ACB. ACB and EGG showed a strong temporal correlation. Erythromycin and propranolol presented the same profile with different power ratios; the amplitude increased whereas frequency decreased. Also, erythromycin administration hastened gastric emptying while reducing the orocaecal transit time. There is a demand for reliable, easy-to-perform and comfortable techniques to record gastric emptying and gastric activity in medicine and veterinary practice. In summary, the association of ACB with EGG accompanied by an appropriate animal model is promising for evaluating effects of drugs in gastric myoelectrical and contractile activity.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induce hypermotilinemia and disturbance of interdigestive migrating contractions in instrumented dogs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) induce gastric ulcers due to inhibition of prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins have an influence on physiological gastrointestinal motility, but the relationships between NSAID-induced gastric ulcer, gastrointestinal motility and motilin are unknown. Fifteen dogs were allocated randomly to three groups in which either gelatin, meloxicam or indomethacin was administered. Fecal occult blood and gastrointestinal motility were monitored continuously for 6 days. In addition, analyses of the plasma motilin concentration, gastrointestinal endoscopy and gastric emptying, and detection of motilin cells were performed. Gastrointestinal motility was disturbed in the indomethacin group, presenting as disappearance of interdigestive migrating contractions (IMCs) 3 days before gastric ulcers were detected. Delayed gastric emptying and hypermotilinemia were observed significantly more often in the indomethacin group compared with the other groups. Motilin cell-crypt/villi ratio in the indomethacin group significantly decreased in the duodenum and jejunum, compared with the other groups. No significant changes in any tests were observed in the meloxicam group, when compared with the gelatin group. These findings suggest that the disturbance of IMCs caused by hypermotilinemia, with changes in motilin cell distribution, and delayed gastric emptying induced by indomethacin may contribute to the development of gastric ulcers.

Comparison of the carbon 13-labeled octanoic acid breath test and ultrasonography for assessment of gastric emptying of a semisolid meal in dogs

OBJECTIVE

To compare the rate of gastric emptying of a semisolid meal by use of the carbon 13-labeled octanoic acid breath test (13C-OBT) and gastric emptying ultrasonography (GEU) in dogs.

ANIMALS

10 healthy dogs.

PROCEDURE

Food was withheld from dogs for 12 hours before ingestion of a test meal (bread, egg, and skimmed milk) containing 13C-octanoic acid. The gastric antrum was visualized by use of a 6.5-MHz microconvex transducer, and the area of the ellipse defined by the craniocaudal and ventrodorsal diameters of the stomach was measured. Samples of expired air and antral images were obtained 30 minutes before ingestion of the test meal and then every 15 minutes for 4 hours and every 30 minutes for a further 2 hours. The half-dose recovery time with the 13C-OBT (t1/2[BT]) and the gastric half emtying time with GEU (t50%[GEU]) was calculated.

RESULTS

Mean +/- SD values for the t1/2(BT) and t50%(GEU) were 3.44 +/- 0.48 hours and 1.89 +/- 0.78 hours, respectively. A significant correlation was detected between the t1/2(BT) and t50%(GEU), although there was a large (1.55 hours) mean difference between these indices.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results indicated that there was a correlation between the rate of solid-phase gastric emptying assessed by use of GEU and the 13C-OBT in dogs. Gastric emptying ultrasonography may be a useful, noninvasive method for assessment of the rate of solid-phase gastric emptying in dogs.