Quick Dips

Bring on the BIPS

"Keep the ball rolling" could well be the motto for a new diagnostic tool developed by veterinary researchers at Massey University. Christened BIPS (Barium Impregnated Polyethylene Spheres), the brainchild of Grant Guilford is a refinement on the idea of barium meals used on humans and animals.

Should Rover or Tiddles have swallowed a foreign object -- or have other difficulties of the digestive tract, like cancer, twisting or spasms -- small inert balls impregnated with barium can be introduced to the digestive system. They show up clearly on X-rays, helping diagnose the cause of the problem.

Unlike liquid barium, the balls behave in a similar way to food in the gut. BIPS are solid particles, so they can be counted, enabling "gut transit time" to be compared with that of healthy animals. Bigger BIPS -- 5mm in diameter -- are also used to indicate partial obstructions, where smaller balls may sneak through. Both these factors increase the chances of an accurate diagnosis says Guilford, a senior lecturer in small animal medicine.

Solid, white and looking just like small beads, BIPS can be administered via food, or in a gelatine capsule in the mouth or throat.

"This avoids the safety and practical hassles of giving a liquid by stomach tube and syringe," Guilford says.

BIPS are now available to vets through Chemstock Animal Health, a nationwide distributor of veterinary supplies. US and UK distributors will be appointed soon.

While the developers acknowledge the BIPS' specialised nature, they believe the spheres may have wider uses, such as in studies of sheep and other small ruminants and, possibly, even humans.