duration of capture and restraint during anesthesia and euthanasia influences glucocorticoid levels in male golden hamsters

Deep litter has been shown to decrease stereotypic wire-gnawing in male golden hamsters, suggesting that increased litter depth may be associated with decreased chronic stress levels. To determine the relationship between litter depth and stress levels in hamsters, the authors measured serum levels...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Lab animal 2007-04, Vol.36 (4), p.41-46
Main Authors: Gebhardt-Henrich, S.G, Fischer, K, Hauzenberger, A.R, Keller, P, Steiger, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood
Anesthesia
Anesthesia - veterinary
Anesthesiology
Animal Models
animal stress
Animals
Corticosteroids
Corticosterone - blood
Cricetinae
Euthanasia
glucocorticoids
golden hamsters
Hamsters
Health aspects
Housing, Animal
Hydrocortisone - blood
Influence
Life Sciences
litter (bedding)
Male
Measurement
Mesocricetus - blood
Physiological aspects
research-note
Stress (Psychology)
Stress, Physiological - blood
Stress, Physiological - veterinary
Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science
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Summary:Deep litter has been shown to decrease stereotypic wire-gnawing in male golden hamsters, suggesting that increased litter depth may be associated with decreased chronic stress levels. To determine the relationship between litter depth and stress levels in hamsters, the authors measured serum levels of corticosterone, cortisol, and ACTH in male golden hamsters kept in cages with three different depths of litter. The duration of handling the hamsters significantly increased the concentrations of corticosterone, cortisol, and the ratio of cortisol/corticosterone. It took longer to catch hamsters housed in cages with deep litter and the ACTH levels were higher in these hamsters. The positive effect of the enrichment (deep litter) was diminished by methodological problems during handling/anesthesia.
ISSN:0093-7355
1548-4475
DOI:10.1038/laban0407-41