The Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test in the Pig

After intravenous injection of 50 g glucose the blood glucose concentration in sows declined very quickly from the high concentrations initially found. The blood glucose concentration always returned to the fasting concentration within the period 18–45 min after glucose injection. The rate at which the glucose was removed was a function of the total blood glucose concentration. After the blood glucose concentration returned to the fasting concentration, the concentration continued to fall, concentrations of 5–10 mg/100 ml. being achieved regularly with no overt signs of hypoglycaemia. The time required for the blood glucose concentration to return to the fasting glucose concentration was found to be the most repeatable quantitative assessment of the test in the pig.