DIARRHEA AND INCREASED INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY IN LABORATORY BEAGLES ASSOCIATED WITH PROXIMAL SMALL-INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH

Repeated episodes of diarrhoea were seen in 4 laboratory beagles after experimental renal surgery and feeding a modified diet. Small intesti nal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) was suspected by exclusion of other ca uses and measurement of plasma folate. SIBO was confirmed by quantitat ive duodenal bacteriology. Beagles with SIBO can show no clinical sign s, experimental stress and dietary change may have been reasons why th ese 4 beagles exhibited clinical signs with SIBO. Despite normal gut h istology an increase in gut permeability was found using sugar absorpt ion tests. This increased permeability had the potential to cause vari ations in drug absorption during experimental studies.