Glucose tolerance testing in llamas and alpacas.
OBJECTIVE
To determine blood glucose clearance in 2 species of New World camelids after IV challenge and to examine mechanisms of this clearance.


METHODS
5 adult female llamas and 5 adult gelded alpacas.


METHODS
After food was withheld for 12 hours, camelids received 0.5 g of glucose/kg of body weight by rapid IV infusion. Serum concentrations of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, cortisol, and insulin, and plasma concentrations of lactate were determined before and 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 minutes after infusion. Ratios of insulin to glucose and insulin to cortisol were calculated for each time point.


RESULTS
Postinfusion glucose concentrations were significantly higher in llamas than alpacas for the first 15 minutes and remained significantly higher than baseline values in both species for 180 minutes. Lactate and cortisol concentrations did not change significantly; nonesterified fatty acid concentrations decreased in both species 30 minutes after infusion. Baseline insulin concentrations were < 6 microU/ml in both species and increased only to 10.1 +/- 0.7 microU/ml in llamas. Insulin concentrations did not change significantly in alpacas.


CONCLUSIONS
Llamas and alpacas clear glucose more slowly than other domestic species after challenge, mainly because of a weak insulin response and slow cellular uptake. This response may impair the assimilation of exogenous glucose as well as make llamas and alpacas prone to diabetes-like disorders when an abundance of endogenous or exogenous glucogenic agents are present.
Cebra
C K
CK
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-4802, USA.
Tornquist
S J
SJ
Van Saun
R J
RJ
Smith
B B
BB
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002161:Camelids, New World / Q000097:blood*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000662:veterinary; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D019344:Lactic Acid; D006854:Hydrocortisone