Biomedical subjects

S Gerold

Publications and source records attributed to S Gerold.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1997

Influence of feeding hay on the alopecia of breeding guinea pigs.

Animals with partial alopecia were seen frequently in a breeding colony of guinea pigs. No pathologic aetiology could be determined. An influence of nutrition on the density of the hair coat was considered. Breeding groups were fed one of the commercial guinea pig diets of differing composition, with or without the addition of hay. Observation occurred over a period of months and the quality of the hair coat was evaluated periodically using a semi-quantitative scoring system. More extensive and more frequent fur defects were found is guinea pigs receiving a breeding diet with a high content of crude protein (23%) and a low level of crude fibre (12%), offered hay only restrictively compared with animals receiving a diet with a lower content of crude protein (15.5%) and a higher level of crude fibre (19.5%), offered the same amount of hay. The amount of hay offered is of paramount importance. Animals fed only the diet with the higher level of crude fibre (19.5%), according to the manufacturer's instructions as a complete food, without the addition of hay, showed a less dense hair coat within 4 weeks. In our colony a group of five breeding animals and their young required 200 g of hay daily in order to improve their hair coat quality to normal. Conversely, animals receiving less hay had progressively deteriorating hair coat density. Not only the amount of hay offered, but also the accessibility for all animals plays a role in preventing alopecia in guinea pigs. In larger cages (twice the usual ground surface area) fur defects were seen when the same amount of hay (200 g) was offered in only one central area, rather than spread out evenly throughout the cage. Hair loss was observed to be the result of trichophagia between adult animals kept in the same cage. The need for crude fibre of breeding animals does not appear to be completely met by pellets rich in fibre segments.

Alopecia↗

PubMed1995

Hereditary compulsive self-mutillating behaviour in laboratory rabbits.

During the last few years an increasing number of cases of extensive automutilation has been observed in a rabbit breeding colony of Checkered crosses. Digits and pads of the front feet were traumatized. No other behavioural abnormalities or signs of disease were evident. Self-mutillation was seen both in stock, breeding and experimental animals, in rabbits kept singly in cages and in those housed in groups on the ground, in rabbits kept in different buildings and under the care of different staff members. This behavioural abnormality of Checkered crosses has also been observed in animals after being placed into other institutions or private homes. No evidence of an agent responsible for the occurrence of self-injury could be found with parasitological, mycological, histological, clinical or haematological examination. Twelve to 16 animals are affected yearly in a colony varying in size between 130 and 230 rabbits. Following complete healing, relapses occurred up to 3 times per year, on either the same or the opposite front foot. In the last 21 cases episodes of automutillation could be regularly interrupted with the dopamine antagonist, haloperidol. Similar signs of auto-mutillation were never seen in animals of another breeding line kept in the same building and under the same conditions nor in animals brought in from other breeding colonies. A relatively high coefficient of inbreeding can be presupposed in this 15-year-old breeding colony of Checkered crosses. A genetic predisposition for the behavioural anomaly described appears very likely.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

[Bite wounds in young rabbits inflicted by adults of the same breed as a result of incomplete group separation (case report)].

Domestic rabbits should be able to exhibit their species specific behaviour patterns, including social contact, despite being kept in cages or in pens. Numerous housing systems have been studied and tried recently with the aim of providing appropriate keeping conditions for these animals (GEROLD, 1993). However, apparently optimal housing systems can lead to unexpected problems. Rabbits of two newly established pens were separated by a coarse-meshed (3 x 3 cm) grating allowing visual and tactile contact. Through this grating adult rabbits inflicted bite wounds to the front feet or the nasolabial regions of the weaned animals housed on the other side. Deep bites and lacerations requiring treatment occurred. Contact between separately housed rabbits must be restricted sufficiently to prevent the injuries described here.

Aggression↗

PubMed1984

[Nocturnal hypoglycemia in type-I diabetics, an underestimated risk?].

In 22 type I labile diabetics aged 20-64 years, various nighttime blood sugar (BS) values were obtained. Although 13 patients in 15 of 43 nights investigated measured below 2.8 mmol/l (50 mg%) for many hours, two thirds remained symptomless while the remainder suffered from minor hypoglycemic symptoms. The lowest BS values were obtained at about 3 a.m. Prospective as well as retrospective estimation of the hypoglycemic risk was performed with the aid of fasting and bed time BS. Causes and measures for prevention of the unexpectedly large number of episodes of nighttime hypoglycemia are discussed. Additionally, 18 healthy volunteers aged 24-61 years were investigated during 22 nights in regard to BS-values for comparative purposes: the lowest measured BS was 3.7 mmol/l (66 mg%) with an average nighttime BS of 4.9 +/- 1.1 mmol/l (86 +/- 5 mg%).

Adult↗