Cimetidine prophylaxis for gastric ulcers in laboratory swine

Bleeding gastric ulcers were a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young swine subjected to surgery, chronic catheterization, and daily experimental manipulation. Some of the animals died suddenly due to exsanguination into the gastrointestinal tract, while others survived for several days following the onset of clinical signs. These signs included dark, tarry stools, lethargy, pale mucous membranes, decreased appetite, and dyspnea. Abnormal clinical laboratory findings included decreased hematocrit, hemoglobin and erythrocyte counts indicative of chronic blood loss anemia. On postmortem examination, single or multiple ulcers of variable sizes were found in the nonglandular cardiac portion of the stomach, and the gastrointestinal tract often contained blood. Histologically, the ulcers had a base of granulation tissue with surface suppuration. Prophylactic treatment of these ulcers was initiated using cimetidine, a histamine II blocker. The drug was administered via the drinking water at 15 mg/kg body weight/day. Fourteen of 62 (22.5%) pigs that did not receive cimetidine developed bleeding ulcers. Of 45 animals given daily prophylactic doses of cimetidine, none manifested clinical signs indicative of a bleeding ulcer. These results indicated that cimetidine was effective in preventing morbidity and mortality due to bleeding gastric ulcers in young swine used in chronic laboratory experiments.