The Effects of Different Methods of Sacrifice on Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism in the Rat

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Abstract
In order to examine the effects of different methods of sacrifice on metabolic variables, forty male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing an average of 355 g were sacrificed in groups by either 1) a blow at the back of the head or 2) a well-defined intraperitoneal pentobarbital anesthesia, both combined with carotid ex-sanguination. A third group while in barbiturate anesthesia was, as a control, subjected to a blow on the head before the ex-sanguination. To assess the importance of injection stress, another control group was injected with intraperitoneal saline before being struck on the head. Metabolic variables were followed. Significant differences between the groups receiving blows and the anesthetised group were recorded for FFA and glycerol with higher values in the former group. The importance of temporal relationships in sampling was demonstrated by significant elevations of glucose, insulin and lactate in the last portion of blood compared to the first portion. A significant hemodilution evident in serum protein levels was registered in the group receiving blows. The results show that different methods of sacrificing influence the studied metabolic variables and that extensive standardisation of sampling is necessary.

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