Glucose-stimulated fluid absorption in the pig small intestine during the early stage of swine dysentery.

Kinetics of glucose-stimulated water absorption and small bowel absorptive function in normal pigs and pigs affected with swine dysentery were examined with a steady-state perfusion technique. Glucose-dependent stimulation of solute and water absorption was shown in normal pigs with a transport constant of 46.9 mM and a maximum change in volume transport capacity of 78.3 ml/h/50 cm of jejunum. The entire small intestine of normal pigs absorbed 10 mg/min of an isotonic fluid when the luminal glucose concentration was 80 mM, whereas the intestine secreted 3 ml/min when glucose was replaced by mannitol. These absorptive and secretory rates in infected pigs were identical to those in control pigs. Electrolyte and acid-base values in arterial blood were unchanged after the rapid administration of 500 ml of a glucose-electrolyte solution into the proximal portion of the small bowel, and the plasma glucose response in control and infected pigs was identical. Seemingly, small bowel absorptive function is normal in pigs with swine dysentery and provides a rational approach to oral, glucose-electrolyte therapy for restoring the extracellular fluid losses that occur with this disease.