Intestinal permeability was assessed in 12 healthy cats by use of a differential sugar absorption test. A 50-ml isotonic aqueous solution containing a combination of 1.8 g of the disaccharide lactulose and 1.7 g of the monosaccharide mannitol was administered to cats via nasogastric tube. Urine was collected after 6 hours, and all urine samples were analyzed the same day, using a gas-liquid chromatographic technique (GLC) and an enzymatic assay (ENZ). Median urinary recovery of lactulose was 0.27 and 0.54% determined by GLC and ENZ, respectively. Differences between these groups were statistically significant (P = 0.023), and correlation between assays was high (r = 0.94, P < 0.01). Median urinary recovery of mannitol was 1.93 and 2.09% for GLC and ENZ, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between these groups and the correlation between assays was high (r = 0.85, P < 0.01). The median lactulose-to-mannitol ratio was 0.29, using GLC, and was 0.52, using ENZ. Correlation of these ratios was again high (r = 0.93, P < 0.01).

Techniques for the measurement of breath hydrogen excretion have been evaluated in dogs and the breath hydrogen test has been shown to be useful for clinical diagnosis and as a research tool. A simple method was developed for collection of expired air and measurement of breath hydrogen concentrations in cats, which enabled demonstration of carbohydrate malassimilation. Breath hydrogen concentrations were measured in healthy cats after food was withheld and after xylose and lactulose administration. Breath samples were collected by use of an open flow system with the cat confined in an acrylic plastic chamber. Breath hydrogen excretion did not exceed 0.53 ml of hydrogen/h in cats not fed. Breath hydrogen concentrations after the ingestion of xylose, a pentose sugar given orally at 0.75 g/kg of body weight, were not significantly higher from those of cats not fed. After ingestion of 3.35 g of lactulose, a nonabsorbable disaccharide, breath hydrogen excretion increased and breath hydrogen concentrations were significantly higher by 45 minutes (P < 0.05) and 60 minutes (P < 0.01) from breath hydrogen concentrations measured in cats not fed and after xylose administration. Administration of lactulose at an increased dosage resulted in further significant (P < 0.01) increases in breath hydrogen excretion. In this study, mouth-to-cecum transit times were variable. A mean +/- SEM mouth-to-cecum transit time of 86 +/- 6 minutes was calculated from measurement of breath hydrogen excretion after oral administration of 3.35 g of lactulose. Measurements of breath hydrogen concentrations after breath collection by open-flow and closed-flow sampling systems were highly correlated and both variables followed log-normal distributions. The dilution of expired air by the open flow sampling system was not excessive and the results of this correlation study suggested that differences in the assimilation of xylose in healthy cats and dogs may well exist.

A D-xylose absorption test was conducted on 4 healthy mares deprived of food for 12, 36, 72, and 96 hours before the test, with a 13- to 15-day adjustment period between each test. Maximal plasma concentrations after 72 and 96 hours of food deprivation were approximately 36% lower than those obtained after the 12- and 36-hour periods (P = 0.0001). Absorption curves were flatter and the decrease in plasma concentration was slower after the 72- and 96-hour periods of food deprivation. The rate of D-xylose absorption (P = 0.0108) and the initial rate of urinary excretion (P = 0.0117) were slower at 72 and 96 hours. Gastric emptying appeared to be progressively delayed with food deprivation, as evident by the delay in peak D-xylose excretion in urine (P = 0.0268). Areas under the plasma concentration-time curves and quantitites of D-xylose excreted in urine were similar for all periods of food deprivation, evidence that the same amounts of D-xylose were absorbed, despite changes in the plasma curve. A 15-hour collection period was sufficient to recover all D-xylose excreted in the urine, and during all periods 9.8 +/- 0.6% (mean +/- SEM) of the oral dose was eliminated in the urine.

In vitro effects of a mixture of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxins (STa and STb) on isolated jejunum of 3-week-old male pigs were studied, using everted intestinal sac techniques. Heat-stable enterotoxins increased chloride secretion and chloride absorption in everted intestinal sacs. The increase of secretory flux was greater than that for absorptive flux. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (6 x 10-9M) increased chloride secretion, but had no effect on chloride absorption. Neither vasoactive intestinal peptide nor pilocarpine (10-5M) had additive effect to ST. Secretory effects of ST were not blocked by atropine 2 x 10-5M), clonidine (10-6M), or morphine (4.2 X 10-6M).

Eimeria mitis, 2 strains, chickens, reduced intestinal absorption of glucose and L-methionine, reduced weight gain, depigmentation of plasma, gross lesions absent

OBJECTIVE To determine serum and tissue concentrations of gallium (Ga) after oral administration of gallium nitrate (GaN) and gallium maltolate (GaM) to neonatal calves. ANIMALS 8 healthy neonatal calves. PROCEDURES Calves were assigned to 1 of 2 groups (4 calves/group). Gallium (50 mg/kg) was administered as GaN or GaM (equivalent to 13.15 mg of Ga/kg for GaN and 7.85 mg of Ga/kg for GaM) by oral gavage once daily for 5 days. Blood samples were collected 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after Ga administration on day 1; 4 and 24 hours after Ga administration on days 2, 3, and 4; and 4, 12, and 24 hours after Ga administration on day 5. On day 6, calves were euthanized and tissue samples were obtained. Serum and tissue Ga concentrations were measured by use of mass spectrometry. RESULTS Data were adjusted for total Ga dose, and comparisons were made between the 2 groups. Calves receiving GaM had a significantly higher dose-adjusted area under the curve and dose-adjusted maximum serum Ga concentration than did calves receiving GaN. Despite receiving less Ga per dose, calves receiving GaM had tissue Ga concentrations similar to those for calves receiving GaN. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this study, calves receiving GaM had significantly higher Ga absorption than did calves receiving GaN. These findings suggested that GaM might be useful as a prophylactic agent against Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis infection in neonatal calves.

Objective-To measure concentrations of sucrose in the serum of captive dolphins after oral administration of a sucrose solution and determine the suitability of this method for use as a test to detect gastric ulcers. Animals-8 adult captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Procedures-Blood samples were collected from the ventral fluke vein of dolphins before and 45 minutes after oral administration of 500 mL of solution containing 25 or 50 g of sucrose; oral administration was achieved by use of gastric intubation. Serum was separated, diluted in a solution of 90% acetonitrile-to-10% water that contained 10 ng of an internal standard (trichlormethiazide)/microliter, mixed, and centrifuged. Supernatant was analyzed by use of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Results-Serum sucrose concentrations of dolphins were at or less than the limits of detection before oral administration. Values after administration of sucrose solution varied among dolphins and were higher and more variable after administration of 50 g, compared with concentrations after administration of 25 g. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Serum sucrose concentrations in samples collected during routine health evaluations of captive dolphins can be reliably measured by use of LC-MS-MS. Correlating serum sucrose concentrations with endoscopic observations of the gastric mucosa of dolphins will validate this approach for use in screening for the prevalence and severity of gastric ulcers and determining the efficacy of treatment regimens.

A study was conducted to investigate whether aspiration of amniotic fluid is associated with a deleterious effect on absorption of colostral immunoglobulins or on blood gas and acid-base values of healthy newborn calves. Fourteen calves purchased from commercial sources were transported to a research facility immediately after birth and fed colostrum with known concentrations of immunoglobulins. Blood samples for gas analyses were collected within 5 hours of birth, 24 hours later, and prior to euthanasia. Between 3 and 5 days of age, calves were euthanatized by an overdose of barbiturates. Eleven calves had evidence of bronchoaspiration of amniotic fluid, as determined by presence of meconium, squamous epithelium, or keratin in histologic sections of fixed lung or by cytologic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Blood gas tensions and pH were within reference ranges in 11 of 14 calves. Aspiration of amniotic fluid could not be linked to any specific changes in blood gas tensions, acid-base status, or absorption of colostral immunoglobulins. Presence of keratin and meconium in the lungs often was accompanied by mild exudative alveolitis and focal atelectasis. It was concluded that aspiration of small amounts of amniotic fluid with or without meconium is common in calves and is not associated with hypoxemia, respiratory acidosis, or failure of passive transfer.

Serum retinol, retinyl palmitate, and total vitamin A concentrations, and jejunoileal morphology were examined in neonatal calves infected with Cryptosporidium parvum. Group-1 calves served as noninfected controls and, after an adjustment period, were given 50 ml of saline solution IV every 12 hours for 6 days. Group-2 calves were inoculated with 10(7) C parvum oocysts and, after the onset of diarrhea, were given 50 ml of saline solution IV every 12 hours for 6 days. Group-3 calves were inoculated with 10(7) C parvum oocysts and, after the onset of diarrhea, were treated with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, 200 mg/kg of body weight IV, q 12 h) for 6 days. Group-4 calves were naturally infected with C parvum. Jejunoileal biopsy specimens were excised from calves of groups 1-3 at 3 and again at 15 to 16 days of age. During the course of diarrhea and 3 days after saline or DFMO administration, water-miscible retinyl palmitate was administered orally (2,750 micrograms/kg) to each calf in each group. Cryptosporidium parvum infection was associated with significant (P < 0.05) reduction in postadministration serum retinol, retinyl palmitate, and total vitamin A concentrations in calves of groups 2, 3, and 4. Cryptosporidium parvum infection caused significant (P < 0.05) reduction in villus height. Decreased villus height, villus blunting and fusion, and attenuation of the intestinal mucosa were associated with reduced absorption of vitamin A, as indicated by lower peak postadministration retinyl palmitate concentration in C parvum-infected calves. Intravenous administration of DFMO to group-3 calves did not improve retinol absorption. Vitamin A should be provided parenterally to young calves with enteric cryptosporidiosis in an attempt to avoid depletion of concurrent low liver vitamin A reserves.

The uptake of colostral IgG and IgM, their serum half-lives, and the rates of endogenous synthesis of IgG and IgM were evaluated in 6 newborn foals fed bovine colostrum (principals) and 6 foals allowed to suckle their dams (controls). The principal foals were fed 400 ml of bovine colostrum (IgG, 10,000 mg/dl and IgM, 200 mg/dl) at 2-hour intervals, from 2 to 20 hours after foaling (total dose, 4 L). Serum IgG and IgM concentrations were determined by single radial immunodiffusion from birth to 98 days of age. At foaling, principal foals had no detectable serum equine IgG, but 1 control foal had serum equine IgG of 185 mg/dl. AFter ingestion of colostrum, there was no significant difference in the maximal serum bovine IgG concentration (range, 1,350 to 3,300 mg/dl) in the principal foals, and maximal serum equine IgG concentration (range, 500 to 6,000 mg/dl). The calculated biological bovine and equine IgG half-life in the principal and control groups was 9.4 and 26 days, respectively. Endogenous IgG synthesis was first detected in 1 principal foal at 3 days of age, but was detected first between 28 and 42 days in the other principal foals. Starting on day 56 there was no significant difference in serum equine IgG concentration between groups. At foaling, foals in both groups had low equine IgM concentrations. In the control foals, there was marked individual variation in the increases in equine IgM concentration (range, 5 to 73 mg/dl) after ingestion of colostrum. With the exception of day 49 after foaling, there was no statistical difference between groups for serum IgM concentration after day 3, and both groups had parallel rates of IgM synthesis. Bovine IgM was undetectable at foaling and maximal serum concentration ranged from 200 to 350 mg/dl following ingestion of colostrum. The calculated bovine and equine IgM half-lives were 8 and 5 days, respectively. The coefficients of absorption of bovine IgG and IgM were 30.9 and 84, respectively, in the principal foals. In the control foals, the coefficient of absorption of equine IgG and IgM was 35 and 30, respectively. One principal foal was excluded from the study because it died of aspiration pneumonia at 2 days of age.