FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Am J Vet Res / Effects of exercise on gastric volume and pH in the proximal...
American journal of veterinary research2002; 63(11); 1481-1487; doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2002.63.1481

Effects of exercise on gastric volume and pH in the proximal portion of the stomach of horses.

Abstract: To assess effects of exercise on a treadmill with changes in gastric volume and pH in the proximal portion of the stomach of horses. Methods: 3 healthy adult horses. Methods: A polyester bag of approximately 1,600 mL was placed into the proximal portion of the stomach of each horse via a nasogastric tube. Changes in bag volume, determined by an electronic barostat, were recorded before, during, and after a training session on a treadmill with and without prior withholding of food. In separate experiments, pH in the proximal portion of the stomach was continuously recorded during exercise for fed and food-withheld conditions. Finally, changes in intra-abdominal and intragastric pressure were simultaneously recorded during a training session. Results: Bag volume rapidly decreased to nearly zero during trotting and galloping. Conversely, a return to walking resulted in a sharp increase in volume and a return to pre-exercise values. Intragastric and intra-abdominal pressures increased almost in parallel with walking, trotting, galloping, and galloping on a slope. Gastric pH decreased rapidly to < 4 at the beginning of walking, continued to decrease during trotting and galloping, and remained low until a return to walking. Conclusions: Increased intra-abdominal pressure during intense exercise in horses causes gastric compression, pushing acidic contents into the proximal, squamous-lined region of the stomach. Increased duration of acid exposure directly related to daily duration of exercise may be the reason that squamous lesions tend to develop or worsen when horses are in intensive training programs.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2002-11-14 PubMed ID: 12428654DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2002.63.1481Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research examines the impact of exercise on the volume and pH levels in the upper section of a horse’s stomach by evaluating changes observed when they exercise on a treadmill. It suggests that increased abdominal pressure during high-intensity exercise results in the compression of the stomach and the movement of acidic contents into the upper region of the stomach, which can exacerbate gastric lesions in horses undergoing intensive training.

Research Methodology

  • The study was conducted on three healthy adult horses. A bag with a volume of about 1,600 mL was inserted into the upper section of the horse’s stomach using a nasogastric tube. This experiment was intended to measure and record changes in the bag’s volume during, before, and after the horse’s training session on the treadmill both in the presence and absence of food.
  • In a separate experimental setup, the pH levels in the upper section of the horse’s stomach were continuously recorded during exercise when the horses were fed and when food was withheld.
  • Other variables measured during the training session included intra-abdominal pressure and intragastric pressure.

Findings and Data Interpretation

  • The research reported that the bag’s volume decreased almost to zero as the horses started to trot and gallop. However, when they returned to walking, there was a sharp increase in the bag’s volume, returning it to its original volume before exercising.
  • The rise in intragastric and intra-abdominal pressures was observed to be almost equivalent during walking, trotting, and galloping. Intense exercise led to an increase in the intra-abdominal pressure, resulting in the compression of the stomach.
  • As the horses began walking, the gastric pH level rapidly decreased to less than 4, it continued to drop further during trotting and galloping, and remained low till the horses returned to walking.

Conclusion

  • The results indicated that intense exercise in horses leads to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, which in turn results in gastric compression.
  • This compression pushes the acidic gastric contents into the proximal, squamous-lined region of the stomach.
  • The findings also suggested that prolonged exposure to acidic contents, directly related to the duration of daily exercise, might worsen or instigate the development of squamous lesions in horses partaking in intense training programs.

Cite This Article

APA
Lorenzo-Figueras M, Merritt AM. (2002). Effects of exercise on gastric volume and pH in the proximal portion of the stomach of horses. Am J Vet Res, 63(11), 1481-1487. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2002.63.1481

Publication

American journal of veterinary research
ISSN: 0002-9645
NlmUniqueID: 0375011
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 63
Issue: 11
Pages: 1481-1487

Researcher Affiliations

Lorenzo-Figueras, Mireia
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0136, USA.
Merritt, Alfred M

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / veterinary
    • Female
    • Gait
    • Gastric Acid / metabolism
    • Gastric Mucosa / metabolism
    • Horse Diseases / etiology
    • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
    • Horses / physiology
    • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
    • Male
    • Physical Conditioning, Animal / adverse effects
    • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
    • Stomach / anatomy & histology
    • Stomach / physiology
    • Stomach Ulcer / etiology
    • Stomach Ulcer / physiopathology
    • Stomach Ulcer / veterinary

    Citations

    This article has been cited 22 times.
    1. Ferlini Agne G, May BE, Lovett A, Simon O, Steel C, Santos L, Guedes do Carmo L, Barbosa B, Werner LC, Daros RR, Somogyi AA, Sykes B, Franklin S. Horse Grimace Scale Does Not Detect Pain in Horses with Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 12;13(10).
      doi: 10.3390/ani13101623pubmed: 37238054google scholar: lookup
    2. Kranenburg LC, van der Poel SH, Warmelink TS, van Doorn DA, van den Boom R. Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 28;13(9).
      doi: 10.3390/ani13091498pubmed: 37174535google scholar: lookup
    3. Ermers C, McGilchrist N, Fenner K, Wilson B, McGreevy P. The Fibre Requirements of Horses and the Consequences and Causes of Failure to Meet Them. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 20;13(8).
      doi: 10.3390/ani13081414pubmed: 37106977google scholar: lookup
    4. Vokes J, Lovett A, Sykes B. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: An Update on Current Knowledge. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 5;13(7).
      doi: 10.3390/ani13071261pubmed: 37048517google scholar: lookup
    5. Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome affects fitness parameters in poorly performing Standardbred racehorses. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:1014619.
      doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1014619pubmed: 36504861google scholar: lookup
    6. Hewetson M, Tallon R. Equine Squamous Gastric Disease: Prevalence, Impact and Management. Vet Med (Auckl) 2021;12:381-399.
      doi: 10.2147/VMRR.S235258pubmed: 35004264google scholar: lookup
    7. Paul LJ, Ericsson AC, Andrews FM, Keowen ML, Morales Yniguez F, Garza F Jr, Banse HE. Gastric microbiome in horses with and without equine glandular gastric disease. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2458-2464.
      doi: 10.1111/jvim.16241pubmed: 34351018google scholar: lookup
    8. Ebert M, Moore-Colyer MJS. The energy requirements of racehorses in training. Transl Anim Sci 2020 Oct;4(4):txaa196.
      doi: 10.1093/tas/txaa196pubmed: 33367221google scholar: lookup
    9. Gough S, Hallowell G, Rendle D. A study investigating the treatment of equine squamous gastric disease with long-acting injectable or oral omeprazole. Vet Med Sci 2020 May;6(2):235-241.
      doi: 10.1002/vms3.220pubmed: 31945806google scholar: lookup
    10. Sykes BW, Bowen M, Habershon-Butcher JL, Green M, Hallowell GD. Management factors and clinical implications of glandular and squamous gastric disease in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):233-240.
      doi: 10.1111/jvim.15350pubmed: 30499188google scholar: lookup
    11. Mönki J, Hewetson M, Virtala AM. Risk Factors for Equine Gastric Glandular Disease: A Case-Control Study in a Finnish Referral Hospital Population. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jul;30(4):1270-5.
      doi: 10.1111/jvim.14370pubmed: 27461724google scholar: lookup
    12. Shephard RJ. Peptic Ulcer and Exercise. Sports Med 2017 Jan;47(1):33-40.
      doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0563-4pubmed: 27282926google scholar: lookup
    13. Sykes BW, Hewetson M, Hepburn RJ, Luthersson N, Tamzali Y. European College of Equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement--Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Adult Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Sep-Oct;29(5):1288-99.
      doi: 10.1111/jvim.13578pubmed: 26340142google scholar: lookup
    14. Birkmann K, Junge HK, Maischberger E, Wehrli Eser M, Schwarzwald CC. Efficacy of omeprazole powder paste or enteric-coated formulation in healing of gastric ulcers in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2014 May-Jun;28(3):925-33.
      doi: 10.1111/jvim.12341pubmed: 24628650google scholar: lookup
    15. Hellings IR, Larsen S. ImproWin® in the treatment of gastric ulceration of the squamous mucosa in trotting racehorses. Acta Vet Scand 2014 Mar 13;56(1):13.
      doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-56-13pubmed: 24625291google scholar: lookup
    16. Kleisner K, Ivell R, Flegr J. The evolutionary history of testicular externalization and the origin of the scrotum. J Biosci 2010 Mar;35(1):27-37.
      doi: 10.1007/s12038-010-0005-7pubmed: 20413907google scholar: lookup
    17. Husted L, Jensen TK, Olsen SN, Mølbak L. Examination of equine glandular stomach lesions for bacteria, including Helicobacter spp by fluorescence in situ hybridisation. BMC Microbiol 2010 Mar 19;10:84.
      doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-84pubmed: 20298612google scholar: lookup
    18. Muñoz-Prieto A, Rubić I, Rešetar Maslov D, González-Sánchez JC, Mrljak V, Cerón JJ, Hansen S. Towards the Identification of New Biomarkers in Saliva and Serum for Treatment Monitoring of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: A Liquid Proteomic Approach. Animals (Basel) 2024 Oct 28;14(21).
      doi: 10.3390/ani14213105pubmed: 39518828google scholar: lookup
    19. Busechian S, Bindi F, Orvieto S, Zappulla F, Marchesi MC, Nisi I, Rueca F. Prevalence and Risk Factors for the Presence of Gastric Ulcers in Pleasure and Breeding Horses in Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 17;14(12).
      doi: 10.3390/ani14121806pubmed: 38929425google scholar: lookup
    20. Busechian S, Bindi F, Pieramati C, Orvieto S, Pisello L, Cozzi S, Ortolani F, Rueca F. Is There a Difference in the Prevalence of Gastric Ulcers between Stallions Used for Breeding and Those Not Used for Breeding?. Animals (Basel) 2024 May 22;14(11).
      doi: 10.3390/ani14111531pubmed: 38891578google scholar: lookup
    21. Busechian S, Orvieto S, Nocera I, Rueca F. Presence of Gastric Ulcers in Horses Used for Historical Races in Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 22;14(8).
      doi: 10.3390/ani14081247pubmed: 38672395google scholar: lookup
    22. Guerrero JLS, Brito PHS, Ferreira MA, Arantes JA, Rusch E, Oliveira BVDS, Velasco-Bolaños J, Carregaro AB, Dória RGS. Evaluation of Gastric pH and Gastrin Concentrations in Horses Subjected to General Inhalation Anesthesia in Dorsal Recumbency. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 15;14(8).
      doi: 10.3390/ani14081183pubmed: 38672331google scholar: lookup
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.