title: The effects of repeated oral gavage on the health of male CD-1 mice.
abstract: Oral gavage is a widely used method for administering substances to animals in pharmacological and toxicological studies. The authors evaluated whether oral gavage causes behavioral indicators of stress, increased mortality rate, alterations in food and water consumption and body weight or histological lesions in CD-1 mice. Gavage was carried out once per d for 5 d per week over 6 consecutive weeks. The mortality rate of mice in this study was 15%. Mice subjected to gavage did not undergo changes in food or water consumption during the study, and their mean body weights and relative organ weights were similar to those of mice in the control group. Serum cortisol levels at the time of euthanasia in mice in both groups were within the normal range. Histopathology showed acute esophagitis and pleurisy, indicative of perforation of the esophagus, in the two mice that died but no abnormalities in the other mice. The results suggest that animal stress and mortality related to oral gavage can be minimized when the procedure is carried out by an experienced technician.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, CECAV, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. arantesregina@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arantes-Rodrigues
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Rosário
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinto-Leite
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faustino-Rocha
authors.forename: Jacinta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinho-Oliveira
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Teixeira-Guedes
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seixas
authors.forename: Adelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gama
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colaço
authors.forename: Aura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colaço
authors.forename: Paula A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004326:Drinking; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007440:Intubation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D007756:Laboratory Animal Science / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D012997:Solvents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; C022131:cremophor; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006854:Hydrocortisone