The effect of oral metformin on insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant ponies.

Metformin may be an effective therapeutic option for insulin-resistant (I-R) horses/ponies because, in humans, it reportedly enhances insulin sensitivity (SI) of peripheral tissues without stimulating insulin secretion. To determine the effect of metformin on insulin and glucose dynamics in I-R ponies, six ponies were studied in a cross-over design by Minimal Model analysis of a frequently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT). Metformin was administered at 15 mg/kg bodyweight (BW), orally, twice-daily, for 21 days to the metformin-treated group.

Pharmacokinetics of metformin after enteral administration in insulin-resistant ponies.

Objective: To determine pharmacokinetics and plasma steady-state kinetics of metformin after oral or nasogastric administration in insulin-resistant (IR) ponies.

Animals: 8 IR ponies.

Procedures: Metformin (30 mg/kg) was administered to 8 ponies via nasogastric tube Blood samples were collected at intervals for 24 hours.

Potential treatments for insulin resistance in the horse: a comparative multi-species review.

Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia increase the risk of laminitis and horse owners and veterinarians should attempt to enhance insulin sensitivity in at-risk groups. In obese animals this may be achieved, in part, by promoting weight loss and increasing exercise, but such intervention may not be appropriate in non-obese insulin-resistant animals, or where exercise is contra-indicated for clinical reasons. An alternative approach to controlling insulin sensitivity in obese and non-obese horses may be the use of certain herbal compounds that have shown promise in humans and laboratory animals, although little is known of the effects of these compounds in horses.

Habituation of arousal responses after intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia in piglets.

Rationale: Clinical studies have demonstrated arousal deficits in infants suffering obstructive sleep apnea, and some infant deaths have been attributed to such an arousal deficit.

Objectives: To evaluate whether arousal deficits can be induced by intermittent asphyxia during normal development.

Methods And Measurements: Young piglets were exposed to intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia for 4 days from age 9.

Effect of stimulus cycle time on acute respiratory responses to intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia in unsedated piglets.

To determine whether stimulus frequency affects physiological compensation to an intermittent respiratory stimulus, we studied piglets (n = 43) aged 14.8 +/- 2.4 days.