Contemporary topics in laboratory animal science / American Association for Laboratory Animal Science
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Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci · Mar 2001
Comparative StudyThe effect of brief halothane anesthesia during daily gavage on complications and body weight in rats.
We examined retrospectively the effects of brief halothane anesthesia during daily gavage administration of vehicle on gavage-related complications and body weight in ovariectomized female Wistar rats. The number of gavage-related deaths or animals requiring euthanasia due to gavage problems was dramatically reduced, but the occurrence of incomplete vehicle retention during gavage was increased appreciably in halothane-anesthetized animals. Halothane-anesthetized rats maintained daily body weight for a longer period than did awake animals. Our observations suggest that the use of brief inhalational anesthesia reduces gavage-associated death and euthanasia due to esophageal trauma and minimizes stress-related weight loss.
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Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci · Nov 2000
The effect of propofol administered intravenously on appetite stimulation in dogs.
Anorexia is defined as diminished appetite or aversion to food. Clinical manifestations of anorexia have multiple etiologies, which include systemic illness, pain, fever, stress, metabolic disorders, and decreased palatability and learned aversion to food. Disorders of appetite are common in companion and laboratory animal medicine. ⋯ A significant (P, 0.05) increase in food consumption was observed solely during the 0-to-15-min time interval; no significant increase in food consumption was observed at any other time point. This data supports propofols appetite stimulating effect in the initial 15 min after injection. Additional studies are required to explore the mechanism for this effect and to determine whether it occurs in other species.
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We successfully intubated 257 rats with a laryngoscope that we designed for this purpose. Orotracheal intubation with this laryngoscope can be performed quickly and without harm to the animal. This instrument provides direct visualization of the vocal cords, allowing rapid, safe intubation of the rat. Maintenance of an adequate airway with endotracheal intubation is superior to tracheostomy for repeated experiments, and therefore this laryngoscope makes such studies easier and safer to perform.