Question:

The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) is ineffective in which of the following species:
(A) Feline
(B) Goats
(C) Bovine
(D) Swine
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Show Hint

To solve questions regarding carbohydrate diagnostics in ruminants:
- Ruminants ferment free sugars into volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the rumen.
- Any oral test designed to measure direct glucose absorption is ineffective.
- Always choose intravenous (IV) routes for diagnostic tolerance tests in these species.
  • (A) and (B) only.
  • (A) and (C) only.
  • (B) and (C) only.
  • (B) and (D) only.
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) is a diagnostic test used to evaluate the body's ability to metabolize glucose.
It involves administering a large bolus of glucose orally and measuring blood glucose levels at specified intervals.
However, the physiological utility of this test depends heavily on the digestive anatomy and metabolic strategy of the species.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

In ruminant species, such as Goats (B) and Bovine (C), the digestive tract is dominated by a large, complex forestomach containing active microbial populations.
When soluble carbohydrates or free glucose are ingested by a ruminant, they enter the rumen, where they are rapidly fermented by microbes into volatile fatty acids (VFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate.
Consequently, little to no free glucose reaches the small intestine for direct absorption into the bloodstream.
Because of this fermentation, administering an oral dose of glucose does not produce a predictable or timely spike in blood glucose levels.
Furthermore, ruminant metabolism is adapted to a constant state of gluconeogenesis (utilizing propionate as the main precursor), making them highly insensitive to oral glucose loading.
Thus, the OGTT is ineffective and clinically useless in ruminants (Goats and Bovines), requiring intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) instead.
In contrast, monogastric species like felines (A) and swine (D) absorb glucose directly from the small intestine, making the OGTT a viable diagnostic option.

Step 3: Final Answer:

The OGTT is ineffective in ruminant species, which are represented by (B) and (C) only.
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