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- Cvek, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of Alternative Housing Systems on Physical and Social Activity in Male Sprague Dawley and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
- 2011
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science. - 0901-3393. ; 38, s. 47-66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Two alternative rat cages and their effect on home cage physical and social activity were evaluated in male Sprague Dawley (SPD) and Spontaneously Hypertensive (SH) rats for 10 weeks. Rats were housed strain-wise in pairs in ST cages, in groups of eight in Enriched Rat Cage System (ERC) equipped with a shelter and wall-hung ladders, and in groups of eight in four interconnected Scantainer(NOVO) cages (NOVO), equipped with shelves. Home cage activity was assessed through direct observations and effects were studied in exercise tests, parameters related to physical activity and in the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM). Effects of within-group variation on the minimum sample size needed to detect a treatment effect were calculated for the different cage types. The home cage activity was highest in NOVO cages, followed by the ERC cages. This was supported by the higher locomotor and exploratory activity in the EPM and an improved performance in the last exercise test, compared to ST-caged rats. Aggressive and submissive interactions were higher in NOVO cages compared to ST cages. The design of the NOVO cages, if connected, might induce both a higher activity level and more aggression. The hypertension and insulin resistance typical of the hypertensive rat model were not influenced by an increased home cage activity. No major effects of alternative cage types were found on within-group variation. The activity was not enough to create a distinct training effect but prevented exercise-related parameters from deteriorating during the study and is therefore still relevant for the health and welfare of the animals. Additional benefits of the alternative cages are qualitative, since they stimulate a wider range of behaviours, social interactions and offer possibilities for the rats to control their situation.
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- Cvek, Katarina
(författare)
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Project evaluation in animal research - Possibilities for harmonization in Nordic countries
- 2023
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science. - 0901-3393 .- 2002-0112. ; 49, s. 6-13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper is a report of discussion, between responsible persons involved in animal research project evaluation throughout the Nordic region, on the activities, issues and problems encountered with evaluating project applications for experimental work involving the use of animals. Harmonization of the actions of responsible authorities in the evaluation of animal experimental projects is encouraged by policy makers at the European level, and the possibilities to encourage this are discussed. While the processes of evaluation and the composition of the committees are broadly similar across the region there are also differences. Applications are often made with insufficient attention, with sometimes too much non-essential information (for example details on molecular biology) given which tends to mask the important question of 'what is actually proposed to be done to the animals?'. Better guidance and simplification of the application process, in particular simplification of information required in the application document, may improve this. Lack of training was identified as a common problem, although to share best practice and flag common errors and problems.
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- Dahlin, Joakim, et al.
(författare)
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Body weight and faecal corticosterone metabolite excretion in male Sprague-Dawley rats following short transportation and transfer from group-housing to single-housing
- 2009
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science. - 0901-3393. ; 36:2, s. 205-213
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Body weight and faecal excretion of corticosterone metabolites (CM) were recorded daily in 18 young male Sprague-Dawley rats from the day they arrived at the animal facility from the breeder. The animals were group-housed (n=3) and divided in two groups after 7 days. One group (n=9 animals in 3 cages) was moved to another room in the facility and the other group remained in the original holding room. After an additional 7 days the animals which had been moved were separated and single housed for an additional 7 days. The body weights developed normally in all rats during the three-week period. Faecal CM excretion appeared high immediately after the rats arrived from the breeder, and decreased to reach significantly lower levels 6 days after arrival. This was likely related to natural fluctuations in faecal CM output rather than substantial stress. None of the husbandry procedures performed during the study had any effect on faecal corticosterone metabolite secretion compared to control. The results suggest that neither transportation from the breeder, moving within the facility, nor being transferred from group housing to single housing are events stressful enough to be reflected by the parameters analysed in the present study. However, the faecal CM excretions clearly fluctuate over several days, which must be considered when using faecal samples for non-invasive stress assessment.
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- Dahlin, Joakim, et al.
(författare)
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The Suspended Formalin Test : A Method Designed for Studying Formalin-Induced Behaviour in the Speke's Hingeback Tortoise (Kinixys spekii)
- 2012
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science. - 0901-3393. ; 39:1, s. 11-15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study aimed to develop a method for testing pain-related behaviour induced by formalin in theSpeke’s hingeback tortoise (Kinixys spekii). These animals retract their head and limbs into their shell whenapproached, making behavioural testing almost impossible. It was found that suspending the animals in theair, facing away from the observer, made the animals keep their limbs out of the shell. Subcutaneous injectionof formalin induced easily identifiable and quantifiable behaviours that lasted for 20 minutes. Contraryto the biphasic effect of formalin observed in rats and mice, the response in tortoises was monophasic. Thesuspended formalin test may be useful for studying nociceptive mechanisms in tortoises, which in turn willbe important for a further understanding of the nociceptive system in reptiles as well as in mammals.
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- Grims, Charlotta, et al.
(författare)
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Are female mice dehydrated during peak lactation? Effect of water and gel supplement on hydration parameters and water consumption in two strains of mice
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science. - 0901-3393. ; 47:1, s. 16-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mice (Mus musculus) have a high basal rate of metabolism which increases during pregnancy and lactation. During peak lactation, water intake amounts to up to 65 % of the bodyweight per day. Providing water in a bottle may pose a restriction of water intake and lead to dehydration during periods of high demand, such as peak lactation. To establish if female mice are able to sustain a physiological hydration status during peak lactation, a completely randomized facto-rial design study was conducted with 12 RjOrl:SWISS (SWISS) and 12 C57BL/6JRj (B6) six-week old female mice in breeding. Female mice were randomly assigned to one of three groups with different watering alternatives: water bottle (Standard, n=6); water bottle + sachet with 98 % water gel (Gel, n=6); or water bottle + water bowl (Bowl, n=6). Non-mated females, pro-vided with water bottles, served as controls (n=6). Hydration parameters [total protein (TP), hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum osmolality (Osmol), blood urea nitrogen (BUN)] and magnesium were measured in blood before mating (Pre) and during peak lactation (Peak), and at the same time points in controls. Water bottles were weighed during lactation and body weights of females and litters recorded at weaning. Data were analyzed by parametric or non-paramet-ric methods to evaluate effects of strain, group and time point. The hydration parameters and magnesium were mostly within normal ranges in all animals at Pre and Peak. TP was lower at Peak in all lactating groups compared to Controls and to Pre (p<0.01). Mice in group Bowl con-sumed 54 % less bottle water compared with Gel and Standard (p<0.001), had 34 % lower levels of BUN than Standard and Control (p<0.01) and 5 % lower serum osmolality at Peak than Pre (p<0.01). Conclusion: Female mice are not dehydrated at peak lactation. However, they prefer to drink, and seemingly drink more water, from a bowl than from a bottle.
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