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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Measurement of 24-h gastric pH using an indwelling pH electr...
Equine veterinary journal1993; 25(5); 417-421; doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02983.x

Measurement of 24-h gastric pH using an indwelling pH electrode in horses unfed, fed and treated with ranitidine.

Abstract: A glass combined pH-reference electrode was placed in the stomachs of 5 adult horses and pH was recorded every 6 mins for 24 h while (1) feed and all bedding materials were withheld for 24 h (unfed), (2) horses had free access to Timothy grass hay for 24 h (fed), and (3) horses had free access to Timothy grass hay and were treated with ranitidine, 6.6 mg/kg body weight, orally, every 8 h for 48 h (fed + ranitidine). There was a significant (P = 0.007) difference in median 24-h gastric pH amongst the 3 protocols, the value being 3.1 in fed horses and 1.55 in unfed horses (P = 0.05) and 4.6 in fed + ranitidine horses (P = 0.05 compared with fed horses). The percentage of pH readings 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 were each significantly (P = 0.05) greater in fed + ranitidine horses than in fed horses, and in fed than in unfed horses. There was no difference (P = 0.13) between median gastric pH values from different times of day in unfed horses (00:00 to 06:00 h, 1.5; 06:00 to 12:00 h, 1.6; 12:00 to 18:00 h, 1.7; and 18:00 to 24:00 h, 1.5). We conclude that gastric acidity is greatest when horses do not have access to feed material and that ranitidine effectively suppresses gastric acidity in horses under conditions of free access to hay.
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Publication Date: 1993-09-01 PubMed ID: 8223373DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02983.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

This study investigates the effect of feeding and ranitidine treatment on the stomach pH levels in horses. It found that stomach acidity is highest when horses do not have access to feed, and use of the drug ranitidine can significantly reduce this acidity when horses have free access to hay.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers placed a glass combined pH-reference electrode in the stomachs of 5 adult horses to measure their stomach acidity, recording the pH every 6 minutes over a 24-hour period.
  • Three conditions were tested on the horses: (1) horses were left unfed and had no access to bedding materials for 24 hours; (2) horses were given free access to Timothy grass hay for 24 hours; and (3) horses were given free access to Timothy grass hay and treated with 6.6 mg/kg body weight of ranitidine orally every 8 hours for 48 hours.

Findings

  • Significant differences (P = 0.007) were found in the median 24-hour gastric pH under the three tested conditions. The median gastric pH was 3.1 for fed horses, 1.55 for unfed horses (P = 0.05 compared with fed horses), and 4.6 for horses fed with ranitidine (P = 0.05 compared with fed horses).
  • The percentage of pH readings less than 2.0 was significantly higher in unfed horses (76%) compared to fed horses (30%) and in fed horses compared to those fed with ranitidine (9%).
  • Percentage of readings higher than 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 were significantly greater in horses fed with ranitidine compared to fed horses and in fed horses compared to unfed horses.
  • No significant variations were found in the median gastric pH values at different times of the day for unfed horses.

Conclusion

  • The study concludes that horses exhibit the greatest stomach acidity when they do not have access to feed.
  • The administration of ranitidine is effective at reducing gastric acidity in horses that have unrestricted access to hay, emphasizing its potential use for managing equine gastric issues.

Cite This Article

APA
Murray MJ, Schusser GF. (1993). Measurement of 24-h gastric pH using an indwelling pH electrode in horses unfed, fed and treated with ranitidine. Equine Vet J, 25(5), 417-421. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02983.x

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 25
Issue: 5
Pages: 417-421

Researcher Affiliations

Murray, M J
  • Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Leesburg 22075.
Schusser, G F

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Eating / physiology
    • Electrodes / veterinary
    • Female
    • Food Deprivation / physiology
    • Gastric Acidity Determination / veterinary
    • Gastroscopy / veterinary
    • Horses / metabolism
    • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
    • Intubation, Gastrointestinal / veterinary
    • Male
    • Ranitidine / pharmacology
    • Stomach / chemistry
    • Stomach / drug effects

    Citations

    This article has been cited 12 times.
    1. Song Y, Day CM, Afinjuomo F, Tan JE, Page SW, Garg S. Advanced Strategies of Drug Delivery via Oral, Topical, and Parenteral Administration Routes: Where Do Equine Medications Stand?. Pharmaceutics 2023 Jan 4;15(1).
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    2. Albanese V, Munsterman A, Klohnen A. Prevalence of Gastric Ulceration in Horses with Enterolithiasis Compared with Horses with Simple Large Intestinal Obstruction. Vet Sci 2022 Oct 25;9(11).
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    9. Brauns M, Ali A, Berger J, McLean A. Physiological and Behavioral Responses of Stabled Horses (Equus caballus) to Three Types of Environmental Enrichment. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 23;15(19).
      doi: 10.3390/ani15192779pubmed: 41096375google scholar: lookup
    10. Irving J, Pineau V, Shultz S, Ter Woort F, Julien F, Lambey S, van Erck-Westergren E. Impact of Low-Starch Dietary Modifications on Faecal Microbiota Composition and Gastric Disease Scores in Performance Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 28;15(13).
      doi: 10.3390/ani15131908pubmed: 40646806google scholar: lookup
    11. Hodgson E, Thirouin M, Narayanan P, Romano TR, Wise J, Bond S. A novel placement method of a calibration-free pH capsule for continuous wireless measurement of intragastric pH in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17273.
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    12. 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
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