Related Experiment Videos
Regurgitation and choke in rats
Laboratory Animal Science
|June 1, 1979
Summary
High bulk diets, particularly those with asbestos, increased choke deaths in F344 rats. Female rats experienced higher choke mortality than males, suggesting multiple contributing factors beyond diet composition.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Animal Nutrition
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
Background:
- Fecal pellets and regurgitant can cause choking in laboratory animals.
- Long-term dietary studies are crucial for understanding chronic health effects in animal models.
- Non-nutritive bulk in diets may influence gastrointestinal health and risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and risk factors associated with choke deaths in F344 rats fed high bulk diets.
- To compare choke mortality rates between male and female rats.
- To determine the role of dietary bulk, specifically wood cellulose and asbestos fiber, in choke-related fatalities.
Main Methods:
- Two long-term experiments were conducted using male and female F344 rats.
- Rats were fed either standard diets or high bulk diets (10% wood cellulose or 10% chrysotile asbestos).
- Mortality due to choke was recorded and analyzed based on sex and diet composition.
Main Results:
- A total of 4.6% of rats (36/774) died from choke.
- Female rats exhibited a significantly higher choke mortality rate (6.8%) compared to males (2.6%).
- Rats on high bulk diets had increased choke incidence (5.8%), with the asbestos diet showing the highest risk (8.4%) versus standard diet (1.6%).
Conclusions:
- Dietary bulk, especially asbestos, is a significant risk factor for choke in F344 rats.
- Sex is a critical factor, with females being more susceptible to choke deaths, even on standard diets.
- The etiology of choke involves multiple factors, including diet characteristics and potentially sex-specific physiological differences.