Effect of conditioning on the increase of heart rate and body temperature provoked by handling in the mouse (2004)

Kramer, K., van de Weerd, H., Mulder, A. et al.

Abstract

Handling and restraint of mice are common procedures in the laboratory animal house. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether conditioning of mice with an acoustic stimulus (10kHz, 60dB), can reduce the stress effects of these routine procedures on HR and BT. .. Entering the animal room by the technician, without performing the handling and/or the acoustic stimulus increased HR significantly. .. After 12 days, the HR values after entering the animal room at the first time point were still significantly increased compared with the HR values before entering the room. .. Handling further increased the HR. .. After repeatedly entering the animal room at a fixed time point (2:30pm), HR was significantly reduced after 12 days... However the sole entering of the animal room at 9:30 a.m. still increased HR significantly even after 12 days. .. Repeated handling reduced the increase in HR significantly after 12 days. .. It was found that, after a conditioning period of 12 days, the increase of HR due to handling was significantly reduced. .. It can be concluded that entering the animal room, even without handling of the animals, increases HR and BT. After 2 weeks, the animals seem to habituate to this type of disturbance, with the exception of the first entrance in the morning (9:30am). In order to mimic standard procedures as much as possible, the day-night cycle was not reversed. Thus, the first entrance is in the beginning of the animals rest period. Disturbance at this time point may cause more stress than later on. Repeated handling with or without conditioning by an acoustic stimulus reduces the increase in HR after 12 days especially in the afternoon. .. Thus, it can be concluded that conditioning of mice can be effective in attenuating the stress effects of routine procedures.