Playful handling of laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than after routine injections

Cloutier, Sylvie; Wahl, Kimberly L.; Panksepp, Jaak; Newberry, Ruth C.

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2014.12.012

Cited by 17 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The two experiments that found an effect of handling treatment used a light touch comparison condition [21, 22]. The three experiments that found no effect of tickling treatment used a minimal handling, restraint, or passive hand comparison condition [4, 23, 24]. The experiment that found that tickled rats produced more 22-kHz vocalizations specifically found that only the rats that had been tickled as adults, not juveniles, produced more 22-kHz calls and that all rats were tickled after an injection [25].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One experiment found no effect on audible vocalizations during injection [20]. Two experiments found tickled rats made fewer audible vocalizations during an injection [24, 25]. However, one of these experiments also found that during the actual tickling procedure, tickled rats made more audible vocalizations [24], while the other experiment found no effect of tickling treatment on audible vocalizations during the tickling procedure [25].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Five experiments investigated the effects of tickling on the injection experience. Four of these found that tickling increased 50-kHz vocalizations while decreasing approach latency, audible calls during injection, and injection procedure duration [4, 24, 25]. The experiment that found no effect, tickled rats after injection only [20].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The experiment that found no effect, tickled rats after injection only [20]. Later research showed that tickling rats only before or before and after injection, particularly combined with juvenile tickling experience, is more rewarding than tickling rats after injection [24]. Additionally, tickling increases 50-kHz calls in anticipation of handling [23].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rat tickling: A systematic review of applications, outcomes, and moderators

et al. 2017

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IntroductionRats initially fear humans which can increase stress and impact study results. Additionally, studying positive affective states in rats has proved challenging. Rat tickling is a promising habituation technique that can also be used to model and measure positive affect. However, current studies use a variety of methods to achieve differential results. Our objective was to systematically identify, summarize, and evaluate the research on tickling in rats to provide direction for future investigation. Our specific aims were to summarize current methods used in tickling experiments, outcomes from tickling, and moderating factors.MethodsWe systematically evaluated all articles about tickling identified from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsychInfo. Our inclusion criteria were publication in a peer-reviewed journal and collection of original, empirical data on rats using the handling method of tickling. One researcher extracted information from each article. Bias was assessed by 2 investigators using the SYRCLE bias assessment tool.ResultsWe identified 32 articles (56 experiments) published in peer-reviewed journals about rat tickling for inclusion. A wide variety of strains, sexes, and ages of rats were included. The most common method used for tickling was cycling through 15 seconds of tickling and 15 seconds of rest for 2 minutes for 3 to 5 days. Experiments with a control for tickling (N = 22) showed that tickling increases positive vocalization, approach behavior, decreases anxiety measures, improves handling, and in some cases decreases stress hormones. Tickling juvenile, individually housed rats with a trait predisposition to respond more positively to tickling, results in the most positive outcomes. Methods to reduce bias were insufficiently reported.ConclusionsWe conclude that tickling is a promising method for improving rat welfare and investigating positive affect. However, the establishment of tickling best practices is essential as the outcomes from tickling can be moderated by several factors.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rat tickling: A systematic review of applications, outcomes, and moderators

et al. 2017

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“…Human-rat interaction may be a positive adjunct to conventional behavioural training techniques and a possible confounder in noncontrolled experiments. A step beyond gentle handling habituation is playful handling or tickling, it reliably evoked emission of 50-kHz ultrasonic, increased ease of handling and reduced anxiety-related responses in standard behaviour tests compared with minimal handling or passive hand exposure 26 . College of Veterinary Medicine of Purdue University explains and shows how to tickle rats in its website http://vet.purdue.edu/discovery/ gaskill/resources.php.…”

Section: Interaction Between Humans and Ratsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving reproducibility and external validity. The role of standardization and data reporting of laboratory rat husbandry and housing

2017

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Purpose: To identify the most relevant flaws in standardization in husbandry practices and lack of transparency to report them. This review proposes some measures in order to improve transparency, reproducibility and eventually external validity in experimental surgery experiments with rat model. Methods:We performed a search of scientific articles in PUBMED data base. The survey was conducted from august 2016 to January 2017. The keywords used were "reproducibility", "external validity", "rat model", "rat husbandry", "rat housing", and the time frame was up to January 2017. Articles discarded were the ones which the abstract or the key words did not imply that the authors would discuss any relationship of husbandry and housing with the reproducibility and transparency of reporting animal experiment. Reviews and papers that discussed specifically reproducibility and data reporting transparency were laboriously explored, including references for other articles that could fulfil the inclusion criteria. A total of 246 articles were initially found but only 44 were selected. Results: Lack of transparency is the rule and not the exception when reporting results with rat model. This results in poor reproducibility and low external validity with the consequence of considerable loss of time and financial resources. There are still much to be done to improve compliance and adherence of researchers, editors and reviewers to adopt guidelines to mitigate some of the challenges that can impair reproducibility and external validity.Conclusions: Authors and reviewers should avoid pitfalls of absent, insufficient or inaccurate description of relevant information the rat model used. This information should be correctly published or reported on another source easily available for readers. Environmental conditions are well known by laboratory animal personnel and are well controlled in housing facilities, but usually neglected in experimental laboratories when the rat model is a novelty for the researcher.

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