SUMMARY
A double-blind study was conducted to compare gastri ulcer healing time in nontreated dogs with that in dogs treated with either cimetidine or omeprazole. Single ulcers were created in the gastric antrum by use of a suction biopsy capsule. Each dog was given 25 mg of aspirin/kg of body weight orally for 20 days after ulcer induction. Five control dogs were given aspirin only (no anti-ulcer medication) during the 20-day study. Six dogs were given cimetidine at dosage of 10 mg/kg orally every 8 hours, and 6 dogs were given omeprazole orally at dosage of 2 μmol/kg (0.7 mg/kg) once daily. All dogs were examined endoscopically on days 5, 10, 15, and 20 and were given a score for the size of the mechanically created ulcer and a score for the degree of aspirin-induced gastritis. All dogs were euthanatized on day 21, and gastric lesions were examined histologically. Significant differences were not evident in ulcer healing scores or degree of aspirin-induced gastritis among treated and nontreated dogs on days 5, 10, 15, and 20. However, aspirin-induced gastritis was less severe in dogs of the omeprazole group than in dogs of the cimetidine or control group on each day observations were made. The effect of omeprazole given once daily was comparable with that of cimetidine given every 8 hours in lessening aspirin-induced gastritis.
