Rat

The impact of transportation on physiological and behavioral parameters in Wistar rats: Implications for acclimatization periods

Transportation of laboratory rodents unavoidably causes stress. Nevertheless, very little is known about the effects of transportation and how long it takes for the animal to recuperate. In the present study, we investigated physiological and behavioral parameters before and after...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Arts, J. W., Kramer, K., Arndt, S. S. et al. 2012. The impact of transportation on physiological and behavioral parameters in Wistar rats: Implications for acclimatization periods. ILAR Journal 53(1), E82-98.

The future is not bright: Evaluation of rat preferences for color and intensity of light

Light is a key factor influencing the welfare of laboratory rodents, but little is known about their optimal lighting condition. It i common knowledge that rats prefer dim light, so bright light is mitigated with red-tinted shelters or cages, which...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Swan, M., Horvath, A., Pritchett, R. K. et al. 2024. The future is not bright: Evaluation of rat preferences for color and intensity of light. Animals 14(14), 2045.

Optimizing environmental enrichment for Sprague Dawley rats: Exemplary insights into the liver proteome

Background Considering the expected increase in the elderly population and the growing emphasis on aging-related biomedical research, the demand for aged laboratory animals has surged, challenging established husbandry practices. Our objective was to establish a cost-effective method for environmental enrichment,...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Roschke, N. N., Hillebrandt, K. H., Polenz, D. et al. 2024. Optimizing environmental enrichment for Sprague Dawley rats: Exemplary insights into the liver proteome. PLOS ONE 19(4), e0297497.

What N Is N-ough for MRI-based animal neuroimaging? eNeuro 11(3), ENEURO

Fueled by the recent and controversial brain-wide association studies in humans, the animal neuroimaging community has also begun questioning whether using larger sample sizes is necessary for ethical and effective scientific progress. In this opinion piece, we illustrate two opposing...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Imaging & Electrophysiological RecordingAnimal Type: All/General, Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Grandjean, J., Lake, E. M. R., Pagani, M. et al. 2024. What N Is N-ough for MRI-based animal neuroimaging? eNeuro 11(3), ENEURO.0531-23.2024.

Effects of vatinoxan in rats sedated with a combination of medetomidine, midazolam and fentanyl

Alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists (α2-agonists) are widely used in animals as sedatives and for pre-anaesthetic medication. Medetomidine has often been given subcutaneously (SC) to rats, although its absorption rate is slow and the individual variation in serum drug concentrations is high via...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Lindh, E., Meller, A., Raekallio, M. 2024. Effects of vatinoxan in rats sedated with a combination of medetomidine, midazolam and fentanyl. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 66(1), 23.

Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research

Light enables vision and exerts widespread effects on physiology and behavior, including regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, hormone synthesis, affective state, and cognitive processes. Appropriate lighting in animal facilities may support welfare and ensure that animals enter experiments in an appropriate...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: All/General, Cat, Dog, Goat, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rat, Rodent, Sheep, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Lucas, R. J., Allen, A. E., Brainard, G. C. et al. 2024. Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research. PLOS Biology 22(3), e3002535.

No evidence tube entrapment distresses rodents in typical empathy tests

In the first two experiments an empty tube open at one end was placed in different locations. Male hamsters, tested one at a time, tended to stay close to the tube or in it. During the first minute of the...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Handling, RestraintAnimal Type: Hamster, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Nugroho, D. A. A., Kusrohmaniah, S., Pilz, E. et al. 2024. No evidence tube entrapment distresses rodents in typical empathy tests. Animal Cognition 27(1), 29.

Opportunistically using a Chronic Unpredictable Stress study to investigate ‘inactive-but-awake’ behaviour as a potential welfare indicator in laboratory rats

Being awake but motionless, inactive-but-awake (IBA), has been suggested to reflect low arousal negative affect in several species. This preliminary study investigated IBA in rats exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Stress (CUS), opportunistically (to comply with the 3Rs) during biomedical research...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Young, L., McCallum, R., Perreault, M. et al. 2024. Opportunistically using a Chronic Unpredictable Stress study to investigate ‘inactive-but-awake' behaviour as a potential welfare indicator in laboratory rats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 274, 106249.

Disentangling developmental effects of play aspects in rat rough-and-tumble play

Animal play encompasses a variety of aspects, with kinematic and social aspects being particularly prevalent in mammalian play behaviour. While the developmental effects of play have been increasingly documented in recent decades, understanding the specific contributions of different play aspects...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Liu, Q., Radchenko, M., Špinka, M. 2024. Disentangling developmental effects of play aspects in rat rough-and-tumble play. Biology Letters 20(5), 20240037.

Combining melatonin with dexmedetomidine improves anesthesia in rats

Melatonin (ML) and dexmedetomidine (DM) are used separately as anesthetic premedication or as an anesthetic in humans and laboratory animals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anesthetic properties of both drugs combined. The anesthetic effects of several combinations...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Cogo Pagella, J., Rodríguez, M. F., Frisina, F. et al. 2024. Combining melatonin with dexmedetomidine improves anesthesia in rats. Laboratory Animals 58(3), 277–280.