Vendor differences in starvation-induced gastric ulceration.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Comparative Pathology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Starvation is a known stressor that can induce physiological changes in animals.
• Gastric and rumenal lesions are potential outcomes of prolonged food deprivation.
• Sprague-Dawley rats are a common model organism in biomedical research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and characteristics of starvation-induced gastric and rumenal lesions in Sprague-Dawley rats.
• To compare lesion development across different rat weights.
• To assess potential variations in lesion susceptibility among different rat vendors.

Main Methods:

• Sprague-Dawley rats from four vendors were subjected to a 5-day starvation period.
• Rats were categorized by weight: 150 g, 200 g, 260 g, and 330 g.
• Incidence and type of gastric and rumenal lesions were recorded.

Main Results:

• Glandular lesions were observed in 150 g rats.
• Rumenal lesions occurred in rats weighing 200 g or more.
• ARS/Sprague-Dawley rats showed a higher incidence of glandular lesions, while Hilltop rats exhibited more rumenal lesions.

Conclusions:

• Rat weight is a critical factor in the type of starvation-induced gastrointestinal lesions.
• Vendor-specific genetic or environmental factors may influence susceptibility to different types of lesions.
• These findings highlight the importance of considering rat weight and vendor in starvation studies.