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Fecal bulking in a frequently mated female rat

Lab Animal volume 35, pages 20–21 (2006)Cite this article

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One month into a study examining the effects of flupenthixol on sexual behavior and conditioned partner preference, we noticed that one female Long-Evans rat started to lose weight. The animal was one of forty 200–250 g Long-Evans rats housed in groups of four in wire-bottomed mesh cages. Each rat had free access to laboratory-rat pelleted feed and water. The animal room was maintained at 21 ± 2 °C on a reverse 12:12-h light/dark cycle.

Half the rats in the study received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 0.25 mg/kg of flupenthixol, a dopamine antagonist, diluted in saline in a volume of 1 mg/kg every four days, 30 minutes before they engaged in sexual behavior. The other half received 1 ml/kg of 0.9% saline and served as a control group. The affected rat was in the flupenthixol treatment group, and the technician responsible for administering the i.p. injections reported the presence of a hard mass in the rat's abdominal cavity.

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Figure 1: Exposed abdominal cavity of a female adult Long-Evans rat.
Figure 2: Distended colon and vagina from the rat seen in Figure 1.

References

  1. Canadian Pharmacists Association. Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 2005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke West, Montréal, H4B 1R6, QC, Canada

    Genaro A. Coria-Avila,  Shann Menard,  Brigitte Boulard,  Richard Ryan,  Ivana Lemme &  James G. Pfaus

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  1. Genaro A. Coria-Avila
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  2. Shann Menard
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  3. Brigitte Boulard
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  4. Richard Ryan
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  5. Ivana Lemme
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  6. James G. Pfaus
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Correspondence to Genaro A. Coria-Avila.

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Coria-Avila, G., Menard, S., Boulard, B. et al. Fecal bulking in a frequently mated female rat. Lab Anim 35, 20–21 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban1106-20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban1106-20

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