Rat

The rat floor pen: Fact or fantasy? Animal Technology 52, 33-34

Rats in [enriched] floor pens have better body condition and appear cleaner [than animals housed in cages]. They are also much more inquisitive and friendly than caged rats and come out when the technicians do their morning checks, because they...

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Morrison, P. 2001. The rat floor pen: Fact or fantasy? Animal Technology 52, 33-34.

Estimates of appropriate number of rats: interaction with housing environment

The effect of enrichment [gnawing stick] on data variability is examined. The results indicate that some of the physiological parameters are susceptible to variability attributable to environmental modifactions in general whereas some are not.

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Mering, S., Kaliste-Korhonen, E., Nevalainen, T. 2001. Estimates of appropriate number of rats: interaction with housing environment. Laboratory Animals 35, 80-90.

The effect of sampling technique on pharmacokinetic parameters in rats: A comparison of tradition blood sampling methods with an automated sampler

The condition of the animal during collection of such fluids [blood, bile, urine, cerebrospinal fluid] may influence metabolism or excretion of the drug. Specifically, conditions that accelerate blood pressure, heart rate and endogenous metabolism can be expected to affect xenobiotic...

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kissinger, C. B., Cregor, M., Hilt, R. et al. 2001. The effect of sampling technique on pharmacokinetic parameters in rats: A comparison of tradition blood sampling methods with an automated sampler. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 89 (Abstract).

Report of the 2000 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group meeting

The following presentations are included in this database: A regulatory viewpoint on environmental stimulation in preclinical toxicology studies, by Jones D; Environmental enrichment for animals used in GLP [Good Laboratory Practice] toxicological studies, by Harding K; Escape behaviour in laboratory...

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., Berdoy, M., Deacon, R. et al. 2001. Report of the 2000 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group meeting. Animal Technology 52, 29-42.

Training could prevent deaths due to rodent gavage procedure

We were surprised and shocked to note that 5 of 9 (56%) of the rats gavaged without anesthesia/sedation died within 10 days. The animals experienced gavage-related weight loss probably due to gavage-related injury leading to decreased food consumption. [in reference...

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Rao, G. N., Peace, T. A., Hoskins, D. E. 2001. Training could prevent deaths due to rodent gavage procedure. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 40(4), 7-8.

Enrichment of laboratory rat caging

Social contact seems to be the most important enrichment. Rats show higher demand for contact with three familiar rats, than for larger cages or toys. .. Rats show T-maze preferences for larger cages whether alone or with four cage-mates. .....

Year Published: 2001Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Patterson-Kane, E. G., van de Ven, M., Ras, T. 2001. Enrichment of laboratory rat caging . American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 106 (Abstract).

Effects of caging type and animal source on the development of foot lesions in Sprague Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Noteworthy abnormalities of the plantar surface of the hind foot (i.e., ulcers or nodular swellings) were more common in heavierrats than in lighter animals of the same sex (but different source), and abnormalities were more common in rats housed in...

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Peace, T. A., Singer, A. W. 2001. Effects of caging type and animal source on the development of foot lesions in Sprague Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus). Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 40(5), 17-21.

Therepeutic effects of environmental enrichment on cognitive function and tissue integrity following severe traumatic brain injury in rats

These results indicate that noninvasive environmental stimulation is beneficial in attenuating cognitive deficits and preserving tissue integrity in a TBI model which causes cerebral contusion and cell death.

Year Published: 2001Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Passineau, M. J., Green, E. J., Dietrich, W. D. 2001. Therepeutic effects of environmental enrichment on cognitive function and tissue integrity following severe traumatic brain injury in rats. Experimantal Neurology 168, 373-384.

Environmental enrichment for laboratory rats: A review

In the laboratory, rats have been found to benefit from social contact, shelters, nesting material, objects for gnawing and large, complex cages whilst the provision of toys or open space is largely unsuccessful.

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Patterson-Kane, E. G. 2001. Environmental enrichment for laboratory rats: A review. Animal Technology 52, 77-84.

Prolactin in rats is attenuated by conspecific touch in a novel environment

Prolactin is released in response to physical and psychological stress, the latter of which involves an animal's interpretation of its environment as potentially dangerous. This interpretation might be altered by social buffering, as defined by the presence of a social...

Year Published: 2001Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Wilson, J. H. 2001. Prolactin in rats is attenuated by conspecific touch in a novel environment. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 1(2), 199-205.