title: Use of perphenazine to control cannibalism in DBA/1 mice.
abstract: Maternal administration of perphenazine decreased the incidence of cannibalism in colonies of interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12) knockout mice of the DBA/1 and C57BL/6 background strains. This colony had high incidence of neonatal death due to cannibalism in approximately 50% of the pups. Perphenazine was administered to the dams in the drinking water, beginning on the day before or the morning of parturition. The medicated water was supplied at two dosages: 0.5 mg/ml and 0.025 mg/ml, resulting in a dosage of 4 mg/kg of body weight and 2 mg/kg, respectively, to the dams. Dams that were treated with perphenazine weaned 76.4% of their pups, compared with nontreated dams that weaned only 59.4% of their pups. Timing of the administration of perphenazine did not have a significant impact on efficacy; also, both doses were equally effective at preventing cannibalism. These findings indicate that perphenazine can modify poor maternal behavior such as cannibalism, resulting in more efficient production of valuable knockout mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Office of Animal Resources, University of Missouri Columbia, 65212, USA.
authors.forename: D Bart
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kennett
authors.forename: Craig L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Franklin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002190:Cannibalism / Q000523:psychology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010546:Perphenazine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010546:Perphenazine