Effect of omeprazole paste on intragastric pH in clinically normal neonatal foals.

This study analyzes the effect of omeprazole paste, a medication often used for treating ulcers, on stomach pH levels in healthy newborn foals. Researchers found that the use of omeprazole significantly elevated the stomach pH levels in the examined foals within two hours after oral administration.

Research Methods

• The study was performed on six healthy foals aged between 5 and 14 days.
• The foals’ stomach pH levels were constantly monitored with disposable antimony pH electrodes, and readings were taken every four seconds using an ambulatory pH monitor.
• Each foal underwent two separate 24-hour pH recordings, with a 24-hour gap in between the two recordings. During the initial recording, no drugs were given to the foals.
• During the second recording, foals were given omeprazole paste (4 mg/kg, orally) one hour into the start of the session.
• The mean pH level was computed for every hour of each of the 24-hour recording sessions, and these means were compared between the first and second recordings.

Results

• The first recording yielded complete data from only four of the six foals, while the second recording provided complete data from all six foals.
• There was a statistically significant increase in the mean hourly stomach pH from hours 2 to 22 after administering omeprazole, when compared to the corresponding pH values measured during the first recording.

Conclusions

• Omeprazole paste was found to be an effective tool in increasing the stomach pH of healthy newborn foals within two hours after the first dose is orally administered.
• The study concludes that omeprazole can be administered to newborn foals at a rate of 4 mg/kg orally every 24 hours.