Effects of daily interrupted nursing on body weight and survival of Fischer 344 rat pups.
The effects on Fischer 344 rat pup body weight and survival were investigated when the dam was separated from her litter and deprived of food and water, approximately 7 h per day, from day 5 to day 21 of the postnatal period. This separation procedure simulates an inhalation reproduction study in which only the dams are exposed to the test material during lactation. The dams and pups were observed daily for clinical signs, and the number of pups in each litter and their body weights were determined on days 4, 9, 14 and 21 after parturition. When pups and dams were so separated, there was no effect on pup survival, but the pup body weights were moderately lower for this group by the end of the postnatal observation period.
D000828:Animal Population Groups / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344