Consumption of alcohol by sows in a choice test.
The domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) has been proposed as an animal model for human alcoholism because pigs have been observed to consume alcohol voluntarily to a state of intoxication and to exhibit tolerance and physical dependence. However, it has not been established whether pigs can develop psychological dependence on alcohol. We hypothesised that feed-restricted, stall-housed pregnant sows fed alcohol non-voluntarily for 5 weeks would develop a preference for alcohol and retain this preference after removal of alcohol from the diet. We fed crossbred commercial sows (n=10) 280 ml of 95% ethanol mixed with 0.91 kg of feed and 720 ml of water twice daily for 5 weeks during the first trimester of pregnancy. Control sows (n=7) received dextrose in their feed as a caloric control, and water was added to give the feed a consistency similar to that of the alcohol-treated feed. Immediately before and after 5 weeks of alcohol or dextrose treatment and 3 weeks later, after termination of alcohol or dextrose treatment, we evaluated sow diet preference by comparing the amount of alcohol-supplemented, dextrose-supplemented and plain feed consumed during a 5-min choice test. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no treatment effect on sow diet preference. Both alcohol-treated and control sows ate less of the alcohol diet than the other two diets in all choice tests. They did not discriminate between the plain and dextrose diets. We conclude that 5 weeks of non-voluntary consumption of alcohol in feed did not produce a preference for alcohol in pregnant sows, either during treatment or after withdrawal, thus providing no evidence for the development of psychological dependence on alcohol under these conditions.
Cloutier
Sylvie
S
Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology, Center for the Study of Animal Well-being, Washington State University, PO Box 646520, Pullman, WA 99164-6520, USA. scloutie@vetmed.wsu.edu
Skaer
Tracy L
TL
Newberry
Ruth C
RC
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016014:Linear Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000502:physiology*
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol