Contemporary topics in laboratory animal science / American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
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Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci · Mar 2003
Acetaminophen as a postsurgical analgesic in rats: a practical solution to neophobia.
Acetaminophen administration is gaining popularity as a postsurgical analgesic in many rodent labs despite reports that animals may consume suboptimal doses as a result of taste neophobia. The present study evaluated the presence, duration, and extent of acetaminophen neophobia in adult male and female rats (Long Evans) with the intent of developing a protocol for administration of this analgesic in the rodent surgery lab. After a 7-day baseline period in which average water consumption, food consumption, and body weight were established for 32 rats (20 females and 12 males), cherry-flavored acetaminophen was administered (6 mg/ml) in the animals' water bottles for an additional 7 days. ⋯ Female animals displayed normal to elevated fluid consumption on all days of drug exposure. Both male and female animals, however, decreased their food intake after drug exposure and subsequently lost weight. Recommendations for the oral administration of acetaminophen as a postsurgical analgesic are discussed.
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Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci · Mar 2003
Comparative StudyComparison of three commercially available activated charcoal canisters for passive scavenging of waste isoflurane during conventional rodent anesthesia.
Chronic, low-level exposure to waste anesthetic gases has been linked to increased incidences of neurologic and reproductive dysfunction, hepatic and renal toxicity, and neoplasia in humans. We have shown previously that one brand of activated charcoal canister (F/Air) used for passive scavenging of halogenated gases does not completely remove isoflurane during anesthetic protocols used in conventional laboratory animal facilities. For the present study, we compared the scavenging capacities of three commercially available canister brands (Breath Fresh, EnviroPure, F/Air) using the same protocol. ⋯ Failure (defined as an isoflurane efflux of > or = 100 ppm) occurred in 42% of Breath Fresh units but 0% for the other brands. In a subsequent experiment (n = 6/brand), all Breath Fresh and F/Air but no EnviroPure canisters had at least one reading of > or = 5 ppm by the time they gained 30 g. These data indicate that marked variability in gas-scavenging capacity exists between different brands of commercially available activated charcoal canisters and suggest that trace levels of waste isoflurane may occur in high-throughput laboratory animal anesthesia rooms unless canister exhaust also is captured.