Rat

Are “”by-stander”” female Sprague-Dawley rats affected by experimental procedures? Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(1), 19-28

The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that female rats are stressed by being in the same room as animals subjected to common husbandry and experimental procedures and that the level of stress is affected by housing...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Drug/Substance Administration, Euthanasia, Handling, Husbandry & Management, Restraint, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sharp, J. L., Zammit, T., Azar, T. A. et al. 2003. Are "by-stander" female Sprague-Dawley rats affected by experimental procedures? Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(1), 19-28.

Selective adaptation of male rats to repeated social and experimental stimuli

Persistently elevated blood pressre suggested that rats do not adapt to being transferred to another room. This observation is similar to the blood pressure changes observed in conditioned fear responses.

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sharp, J. L., Azar, T. A., Lawson, D. M. 2003. Selective adaptation of male rats to repeated social and experimental stimuli. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 126-127 (Abstract).

Does cage size affect heart rate and blood pressure of male rats at rest or after procedures that induce stress-like responses?

Close interaction between group-housed rats appears to be more important to stress reduction than is providing increased floor space per animal.

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sharp, J. L., Azar, T., Lawson, D. 2003. Does cage size affect heart rate and blood pressure of male rats at rest or after procedures that induce stress-like responses? Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(3), 8-12.

Are laboratory animals stressed by their housing environment and are investigators aware that this stress can affect physiological data?

Although stress can affect the behavior and physiology of laboratory animals, there has been little investigation into the quality of animal research is affected if the animals are stressed. Even minor perturbations (i.e., environmental can produce a stress response. A...

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Jain, M., Baldwin, A. L. 2003. Are laboratory animals stressed by their housing environment and are investigators aware that this stress can affect physiological data? Medical Hypotheses 60, 284-289.

Guidelines for the Care and Use of Mammals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research

Expanding on the National Research Council's Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, this book deals specifically with mammals in neuroscience and behavioral research laboratories. It offers flexible guidelines for the care of these animals, and guidance on...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Regulations & Ethical Review, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Cat, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Dog, Ferret, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: National Research Council. 2003. Guidelines for the Care and Use of Mammals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research. National Academic Press: Washington, DC, 223 pp.

Influence of environment structure and food availability on the foraging behaviour of the laboratory rat

We suggest that foraging decisions depend primarily on safety needs, rather than food availability, at least when animals are not severely food-deprived.

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Arcis, V., Desor, D. 2003. Influence of environment structure and food availability on the foraging behaviour of the laboratory rat. Behavioural Processes 60, 191-198.

Disruptive effects of standard husbandry practice on laboratory rat social discrimination

It appears that when rats are first grouped, they should be undisturbed for a least 24 h to prevent possible recognition failure as a result of exposure to handling or to the odours of novel conspecifics.

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Burman, O. H. P., Mendl, M. 2004. Disruptive effects of standard husbandry practice on laboratory rat social discrimination. Animal Welfare 13, 125-133.

Chronic stress and social housing differentially affect neurogenesis in male and female rats

Stress plays an important role in the development of affective disorders. Women show a higher prevalence for these disorders than men. The course of a depression is thought to be positively influenced by social support. We have used a chronic...

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Westenbroek C, Den Boer JA, Veenhuis M, et al. 2004. Chronic stress and social housing differentially affect neurogenesis in male and female rats. Brain Res Bull. 64;303-308.

Husbandry refinements for rats, mice, dogs and non-human primates used in telemetry procedures

A review on telemetry procedures for rats, mice, dogs and non-human primates.

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Dog, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., Morton, D. B., Bevan, R. et al. 2004. Husbandry refinements for rats, mice, dogs and non-human primates used in telemetry procedures. Laboratory Animals 38, 1-10.

Environmental enrichment: Beneficial effects in a rodent model of lead neurotoxicity

Using a rodent model of lead-induced neurotoxicity, we show that environmental enrichment reverses cognitive and molecular deficits induced by this developmental neurotoxicant... At weaning, pups were removed from the lead exposure and housed in isolation or environmental enrichment cages (8...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Guilarte, T. R., Toscano, C. D., McGlothan, J. L. et al. 2004. Environmental enrichment: Beneficial effects in a rodent model of lead neurotoxicity. Proceedings of the 4th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences - Alternatives to Laboratory Animals [ATLA] 32(Supplement), 236 (Abstract).