Rat

Fecal corticosterone: A noninvasive method of stress assessment in rats

Repeated mild restraint with bare hands or confinement in a plexiglas tube also increased fecal coritcosterone levels (p

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Guhad, F. A., Nevalainen, T., Lang, C. M. 2003. Fecal corticosterone: A noninvasive method of stress assessment in rats. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 93-94 (Abstract).

Gender-specific effects of social housing in rats after chronic mild stress exposure

These results show that social housing can enhance coping with stress in female rats, whereas in male rats group housing did not have a positive influence on stress-sensitivity.

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Westenbroek, C., Ter Horst, G. J., Roos, M. H. et al. 2003. Gender-specific effects of social housing in rats after chronic mild stress exposure. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry 27(1), 21-30.

Access to enriched housing is rewarding to rats as reflected by their anticipatory behaviour

The strong increase in activity in anticipation of both an enriched cage and sexual contact and the similar response in terms of the behavioural elements analysed indicate that the appraisal of access to an enriched cage shares a common denominator...

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: van der Harst, J. E., Fermont, P. C. J., Bilstra, A. E. et al. 2003. Access to enriched housing is rewarding to rats as reflected by their anticipatory behaviour. Animal Behaviour 66, 493-504 .

The trial of solid floor inserts in grid floored cages for the use in 28 and 90 day repeated dose studies in the rat

No preference for solid floors over grid floors was observed. Our intention, therefore, is to retain the grid floor caging systems currently used with the inclusion of cardobard 'fun tunnels' and wood chew blocks.

Year Published: 2003Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Trussell, M. A., Blackwell, M. P. 2003. The trial of solid floor inserts in grid floored cages for the use in 28 and 90 day repeated dose studies in the rat. Animal Technology and Welfare 2, 135-137.

Stress-like responses to common procedures in individually and group-housed female rats

Mean resting HR values in the mornings prior to human contact were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in rats housed four per cage than animals housed alone or with one cage mate, whereas MAP during this period was lowest in...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sharp, J. L., Zammit, T., Azar, T. A. et al. 2003. Stress-like responses to common procedures in individually and group-housed female rats. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(1), 9-18.

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.