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Evidence for consistent individual differences in rat sensitivity to carbon dioxide.

Lucía Améndola¹, Daniel M Weary¹

¹Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

|April 25, 2019

Summary

Laboratory rats show consistent individual differences in their responses to carbon dioxide (CO2) euthanasia. Even less sensitive rats avoid CO2, suggesting they experience distress during the process.

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Area of Science:

Animal Behavior
Animal Welfare
Laboratory Animal Science

Background:

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a common euthanasia agent for laboratory rats, but its use is debated due to inconsistent study findings.
Discrepancies may stem from variations in measured behaviors, individual coping mechanisms, or differing rat sensitivities to CO2.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize active and passive rat responses during forced exposure to CO2.
To assess the consistency of these responses within individuals and across different aversive stimuli.
To evaluate individual differences in CO2 aversion using aversion-avoidance and approach-avoidance tests.
To correlate aversion test responses with behaviors observed during forced CO2 exposure.

Main Methods:

Twelve female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to CO2, oxygen (O2), and fox scent.
Rats underwent repeated CO2 exposures in aversion-avoidance and approach-avoidance tests.
Behavioral changes from baseline (rearing, locomotion) and aversion test latencies were recorded.

Main Results:

Rats exhibited increased rearing and locomotion during CO2 exposure compared to O2 or fox scent.
Individual rat responses to CO2 were consistent across multiple exposures and different tests.
Latency to avoid CO2 was negatively correlated with rearing behavior during forced exposure.

Conclusions:

Rat responses to CO2 euthanasia vary significantly between individuals but are consistent within individuals, indicating differing CO2 sensitivity.
All rats demonstrated avoidance of CO2 at concentrations below those required for unconsciousness.
These findings suggest that all rats likely experience negative states during CO2 euthanasia, regardless of individual sensitivity.