Reference values for young normal Sprague-Dawley rats: weight gain, hematology and clinical chemistry

1. Arterial blood from 63 male (315-500 g) and 60 female (210-290 g) healthy Sprague-Dawley rats was analyzed for 16 hematological and 22 clinical chemistry parameters. 2. Nine of these parameters were associated with growth and developmental changes in males between 38-78 days and females 49 - 89 days of age. 3. Weight gain in both sexes followed patterns consistent with other studies using this strain, but interexperimental variation was as much as +/-22%. 4. Rectal temperatures of females averaged 37.28 degrees C, being statistically greater (P < 0.05) than the average male at 36.99 degrees C. 5. The data provide reference values for use in toxicological and other investigations.