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Effects of vasectomy surgery and meloxicam treatment on faecal corticosterone levels and behaviour in two strains of laboratory mouse

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Claire Richardson, Dr Johnny RoughanORCiD, Emeritus Professor Paul FlecknellORCiD

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Abstract

Behaviour was assessed in 32 C57BL/6JCrl and 32 C3H/HeN male mice 1 h following vasectomy; saline or meloxicam was administered 30 min prior to surgery at 5, 10, or 20 mg kg-1. Faeces were collected 24 h prior to, and 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 h following, vasectomy for measurement of faecal corticosterone. Peak corticosterone levels were significantly higher in mice that underwent vasectomy and received saline (p < 0.001) or meloxicam at 5 or 10 mg kg-1 (p = 0.021, and p < 0.001, respectively) compared with normal un-operated controls. Mice that underwent vasectomy and received 20 mg kg-1 meloxicam had peak corticosterone levels that were not different from normal un-operated mice (p = 0.254). Discriminant analysis was used to identify behaviours responsible for group separation; these were summed to create two behaviour scores. Score 2 (the frequency of flinching, writhing, rear leg lift and press 2) was thought to be pain related; mice that underwent vasectomy and received saline exhibited significantly more of these behaviours than the normal controls (p = 0.032), and the mice that received meloxicam (at any dose). Strain differences were observed in both the stress response to vasectomy and the behavioural changes; the C3H/HeN mice had higher pain scores (behaviour Score 2) and peak corticosterone responses than the C57BL/6JCrl mice. We have demonstrated that significant changes occur in the behaviour of mice following vasectomy, and these changes are reduced by use of meloxicam. Vasectomy elicits a rise in corticosterone levels that was only reduced by the highest dose of meloxicam. © 2006 International Association for the Study of Pain.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Wright-Williams SL, Courade J-P, Richardson CA, Roughan JV, Flecknell PA

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Pain

Year: 2007

Volume: 130

Issue: 1-2

Pages: 108-118

Print publication date: 01/07/2007

ISSN (print): 0304-3959

ISSN (electronic): 1872-6623

Publisher: Elsevier BV

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2006.11.003

DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.11.003

PubMed id: 17196337


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
G0400227/1National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research

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