Water Consumption of the Ageing Sprague-Dawley Male Rat

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Abstract
Water consumption, food consumption and body weight of 70 Sprague-Dawley male rats were measured at approximately 6 month intervals throughout their life spans, beginning at 3 months of age. The mean and standard deviation of water consumption of the population increased with age. With division of the population into groups on the basis of animals completing the same number of measurements prior to death, it was noted that animals with the lower consumption values at their final test had increased their consumptions only to a small degree during the course of periodic measurements. Animals with high consumptions at their final test showed a gradual increase in mean consumption until the last test when a large increase occurred. The degree of excessive consumption was increased as a function of the age at measurement. The marked, terminal increase in water consumption occurred after the peak of growth and appeared to be unrelated to growth requirements.

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