title: Effect of body size on gastric emptying using the 13C-octanoic acid breath test.
abstract: The 13C-octanoic acid breath test (OABT) may be a useful non-invasive method for assessing the rate of gastric emptying in dogs. The aim of this study was to determine whether an association exists between body size and rate of gastric emptying in dogs. Fifty-five dogs ranging from 6 to 39 kg were recruited and rate of gastric emptying was assessed using the OABT. The time to peak 13CO2 excretion (tmax) and half-dose recovery time (t1/2) were calculated. The OABT was simple to perform and well tolerated by the dogs. Mean (sd) tmax was 2.67 hours (0.6) and mean t1/2 was 3.38 hours (0.79). Inter-individual variation in the rate of gastric emptying was 23.3 per cent for t1/2 and 22.5 per cent for tmax. No association was detected between the rate of gastric emptying and body surface area, mass, age, sex or test operator. The OABT may be a useful non-invasive and non-radioactive test for assessment of the rate of gastric emptying in dogs in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Institute of Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yam
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wyse
authors.forename: S W J
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Preston
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001824:Body Constitution; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods*; D002210:Caprylates / Q000378:metabolism; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D002210:Caprylates; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; C031492:octanoic acid