Energetic metabolism in fasting sheep: regularization of metabolic profile by treatment with oral glucose, with prior handling of gastric groove

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate a possible corrective measure against negative metabolic states, as occurs in the advanced stage of gestation in ewes, and that sometimes produces a disease called pregnancy toxaemia. In the present research, we found that the joint administration of i.v. lysine-vasopressin (0.08 IU/kg body weight, BW) and an oral glucose solution (50 g) produces an increase in blood glucose, which persists for some time (up to 6 h); therefore, it could be used in the treatment of pregnancy toxaemia. This therapy is based on the fact that lysine-vasopressin induces gastric groove closure in adult ruminants, enabling orally administered glucose to reach the abomasum directly, from where it rapidly passes into the intestine and is immediately absorbed. We can say that the tested treatment causes a significant increase in blood glucose in ewes affected by toxaemia caused by fasting, which, although less marked than conventional therapy with intravenous drip glucose, remains longer, regularizing other parameters indicative of energy metabolism in fasting ewes.