GI02 - Clinical and Gastrointestinal Changes in Healthy Research Dogs Administered Prednisone, Prednisone/omeprazole, or Prednisone/probiotics

Abstract: Background – Previously evaluated gastroprotectants did not prevent glucocorticoid-induced gastric bleeding in dogs, but neither probiotics or twice-daily omeprazole were evaluated.

Hypothesis/Objectives – Compare gastrointestinal bleeding among dogs administered prednisone, prednisone with omeprazole, or prednisone with probiotics.

Animals – Twenty-four healthy research dogs.

Methods – Double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Dogs received placebo, prednisone (2 mg/kg q24h), prednisone/omeprazole (1 mg/kg q12h), or prednisone/probiotics (11.2-22.5 billion CFU/kg q24h) for 28 days. Clinical signs and endoscopic gastrointestinal mucosal lesions were determined at baseline, day 14, and day 28 of treatment. Results were compared using split-plot repeated measures mixed model ANOVAs.

Results – Attitude, vomiting, and food intake did not differ among groups. Fecal score differed over time depending on treatment received (F [6,40] = 2.65, P < .029). Post-hoc tests revealed scores increased in the prednisone-receiving groups between baseline and day 28 (P < .001, for each). Nineteen of 33 (58%) instances of fecal score ≥ 5 occurred in the prednisone/omeprazole group. Gastric mucosal lesion scores differed by treatment-by-time (F [6,60] = 2.86, P = .016), between treatments (F [3,60] = 4.9, P = .004), and over time (F [2,60] = 16.5, P < .001). Post-hoc tests revealed lesion scores increased between baseline and days 14 and 28 for prednisone-receiving groups (P ≤ .03, for all). Ulcers occurred in 6 dogs: prednisone alone, 2; prednisone/omeprazole, 2; and prednisone/probiotics, 3.

Conclusions and clinical importance – Consistent with previous studies, prednisone induced gastric bleeding. Bleeding was not mitigated by co-administration of omeprazole or probiotics.