Plasma cortisol and vocalization responses of postweaning age guinea pigs to maternal and sibling separation: Evidence for filial attachment after weaning

Abstract

Postweaning guinea pigs housed with their mother and littermates since birth vocalized more and exhibited greater increases in plasma cortisol levels when placed for 1 hr into a novel test cage alone than they did when tested in the identical fashion with the mother present. These responses were apparent beyond 50 days of age, but had waned by 90 days of age. When tested with a familiar sibling cagemate, postweaning guinea pigs emitted fewer vocalizations than when tested alone but exhibited no less of an elevation of plasma cortisol levels. These results were obtained regardless of whether the subjects had been housed with mother and littermates from birth until the time of testing or with mother and littermates until weaning and then just the single sibling cagemate until the time of testing. The present findings closely approximate those seen in preweaning guinea pigs during tests of maternal and sibling separation, and indicate that guinea pigs can continue to exhibit a specific attachment to the mother beyond the time of weaning.

Psychobiological consequences of two different weaning methods in sheep

“…[14], horses [15], guinea pigs [9] and cattle [13] There was no effect of weaning on the rate of animals' resting or eating regardless of the weaning method. As already shown in this species [18] [6].…”

Correlação dos parâmetros endócrinos e comportamentais em cadelas abandonadas em programa de ressocialização

“…Como amostras, pode-se utilizar o sangue, a saliva e as fezes. A utilização de fezes para avaliar a situação estressante é útil para animais de vida livre, por não ser invasiva, mas apresenta um resumo de variabilidade do estado estressante em um longo período, ou seja, não é preciso o suficiente para determinar o momento exato da atividade estressante (PALME et al, 2005) A adrenal do cão secreta quantidades significativas de cortisol e corticosterona, mas foi descrito que os níveis plasmáticos destes dois hormônios mostraram padrões similares de variações durante a separação e exposição ao novo (HENNESSY et al, 1997 …”

“…Muitos trabalhos mensuram os níveis séricos ou salivares de cortisol em cães (VINCENT;MICHELL, 1992;BEERDA et al, 1996;HENNESSY et al, 1997;BEERDA et al, 1998;PALME et al, 2005), entretanto, nunca foi estabelecido um panorama geral dos sinais clínicos, endócrinos, fisiológicos e comportamentais do cão, durante esta fase pós-abandono de adaptação ao estresse. Mesmo a adoção é um evento estressante aos cães, pois muitas vezes nunca tiveram contato direto e/ou frequente com seres humanos.…”

“…Moreover, the change often results in increased production of cortisol (HENNESSY, 1986;HENNESSY et al, 1995;TUBER et al, 1996).…”

“…The maximum secretion of cortisol in animals occurs in the first hours of the day (BEERDA et al, 1999b). Abandoned dogs taken into shelters and confined show high plasma cortisol concentrations during the first three days of confinement in the new environment (HENNESSY et al, 1997;DOWLING-GUYER;MARDER;D'ARPINO, 2011).…”