Abstract
The use of omeprazole as a preventive treatment for gastrointestinal ulcers in veterinary medicine has been questioned during previous years. The aim of the present study is to assess the long-term effect of omeprazole on cobalamin and serum gastrin levels in healthy dogs. Eighteen healthy dogs were included: 10 in the control group and 8 in the omeprazole group. Three samples were collected: before starting the treatment (T(0)), 30 days after the start of treatment (T(1)), and at 60 days (T(2)). The mean cobalamin value (ng/L) in the control group was 481.4 (±293.70) at T(0), 481.4 (±170.21) at T(1), and 513.2 (±174.50) at T(2). In the omeprazole group, the values were 424.62 (±161.57) at T(0), 454.5 (±160.96) at T(1), and 414.87 (±127.90) at T(2). No statistically significant changes were detected in cobalamin levels between the three-time period in both study groups. These results agree with previous findings in felines but contrast with human medicine studies. The median gastrin values (pg/mL) in the control group were 62.45 [30.17-218.75] at T(0), 76.06 [30.67-199.87] at T(1), and 63.02 [35.81-176.06] at T(2). The median gastrin value in the omeprazole group was 67.59 [55.96-101.60] at T(0), 191.77 [75.31-1901.77] at T(1), and 128.16 [43.62-1066.46] at T(2). Statistically significant differences were detected (p = 0.008), indicating an increase in gastrin levels after initiating treatment with omeprazole. In conclusion, the increased levels of gastrin observed in this population underscore the importance of conducting a comprehensive clinical assessment to identify potential gastrointestinal disorders, particularly in consideration of the usage of omeprazole as a preventive treatment.