Effect of Prolonged Intragastric Feeding on Oral Food Intake in Dogs

Abstract

Four hrs. after the daily oral feeding, food was introduced into the stomach of dogs through a gastric fistula daily for several weeks. When the intragastric feeding contained 33% of the calories ingested orally during the control period, no decrease in oral intake occurred. When the intragastric feeding contained larger percentages of the control caloric intake, depression of oral intake occurred but the sum of the oral and intragastric intakes was always greater than the control oral value. Intragastricly admd. calorically inert bulk (gum arabic, cellulose flour) did not inhibit oral food intake unless large amts. were given just before oral feeding. Water-filled balloons placed in the stomach and allowed to remain there for 1 or 2 weeks caused persistent reduction of oral feeding, the degree of reduction being correlated with the amt. of water in the balloon. In esophagostomized dogs duration of sham feeding was inversely related to the amt. of food given intragastricly. If food or a water-filled balloon was placed in the stomach just before sham feeding the duration of sham feeding was decreased. These studies again demonstrate that gastric distention is an important regulatory factor in controlling the amt. of food eaten. They also indicate that a systemic factor related to nutritional status (caloric deficit or surplus) also operates, but its mechanism is obscure and it does not accomplish fine adjustment of intake to requirement.