Thank you for these links JJ
I was aware of these possible effects of a
long term high dose of saccharin in humans.
I would like to make the following points from the press & forum articles.
Saccharin is thought to
a) impact on glucose absorption from the diet.
b) associated with low insuklin levels
c) associated with low GPI
Other articles refer to a possible role in the developement of type 2 diabetes.
The point I would like to make is that the normal modern human diet has high levels of sucrose/ corn syrup = glucose + fructose which are seperated into the component parts by ptyalin in saliva. The fructose component has its own adverse effects. Artificial sweeteners are extensively used in "Diet" fizzy drinks & as an alternative for diabetics.
Rabbit diet is totally different & very low in sugars
Rabbits in stasis have either no food intake or a very low food intake.
Infacol is being given for a very short time, & in low dose.
There are 2 problems to explain in stasis rabbits.
a) How can saccharin be possibly absorbed from a slow GI tract in time to impact on the metabolic system in a complex way?
b) Why do rabbits in stasis who have had no drugs what so ever, routinely have blood glucose levels above the norm?
Humans with very painful conditions eg obstructed GI tract often have raised glucose levels which return to normal when the underlying condition is treated, & on subsequent Ix are
not prediabetic. This is even more apparent in people with severe multiple injuries where blood glucose levels may even reach 20.00. In both cases the cause is activation of the cortisol system from physiological & pain stress.
Rabbit cortisol system activates far more readily than the human system, & can not only cause high blood glucose levels, but also cause severe slow down of the GI tract.
I think that we would agree that one of the commonest causes of stasis in rabbits is an underlying painful condition, & indeed we owe much to your work several years ago, advocating for pain relief in rabbits in stasis. This had a marked effect on improving recovery rates at the time.
I am grateful for the information but IMO it refers to a different situation from rabbits in stasis. The information does not show us the original research done, which is essential to appraise the conclusions.
Indeed all the paediatric meds I can think of, including ABx contain artificial sweeteners. I do not think that these would be considered suspect although given more frequently & for a longer period than infacol.
Bloat is a life threatening condition for rabbits & necessitates very rapid treatment indeed. Time to get to the vet has to be taken into consideration.
For all these reasons, I personally would not withold infacol in this situation.
(I once discussed using activated charcoal to absorb the gas for bloat with gastric distention with Marie Kubiac. She said that we couldn't get enough into the rabbit to work. That is the only alternative I know of for this situation)