Toxicology: Why Are My Rabbits Dying, But Not My Rats?

Question

I am testing exposure guidelines for a new air coolant.

I run millions of dollars of tight experiments and conclude that the chemical is safe at two different toxicity levels in rats, rat livers and human livers.

I re-run the experiment using rabbits at the lowest toxicity level only...and I've lost 14 of the 48 bunnies already.

On day one, the rabbits appear fine.
By day two, they drop a considerable amount of weight.
By day three, they are emaciated and pass.

What are some possible reasons why my rabbits would die and not my rats?

If the rabbits are dying, but not the rats...how could I determine if this chemical is safe?

BOB: I can't disclose details for confidentially purposes. However, the human livers were donated and kept alive. My purpose in stating the experimental cost was to focus on the differences between the rats and rabbits and NOT to chalk this up to some flawed design or human error.

Answer 1

Did you take into account the sedentary nature of the rabbits and their pension for gastric stasis and hair balls. Perhaps they are ingesting the toxins when they preen and the toxins are forming an obstruction in their much smaller intestine than their much larger stomach. Rabbits have a simple stomach but a very complex digestive system. Perhaps the hair is staying in the stomach, and because rabbits cannot vomit, hastening the effects of the toxins. It might be advisable to give the rabbits a laxative to see if that helps.

Also, rabbits are more susceptible to tuberculosis from aerosols, especially the out-bred ones. Perhaps that too is a factor. They seem to be more receptive to airborne pathogens and other contaminants.

You will find a skin related report at the end.

I am guessing a digestive/hygiene problem.

I have a call into a microbiologist/biochemist and hopefully they will have a better answer. It the meanwhile this is it.

The microbiologist /biochemist suggests that the rabbits are ruminents and as such may be consuming their own waist therefore increasing their exposure to the effects of the coolant and that is what is effecting their livers. In otherwords, make sure the rabbit cages are cleaned more thoroughly than the rat cages. And the bit about the stomach and the digestive system was stressed again. Rabbit's system is way different from that of the rat. And, that is all that was added. Good Luck.

Answer 2

You can always run another experiment to determine "if the chemical is safe".

If you are trying to prove that a chemical is "unsafe" you can easily do so.

Different animals including humans react in different ways to pre-designed experiments.

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< I run millions of dollars of tight experiments and conclude that the chemical is safe at two different toxicity levels in rats, rat livers and human livers. >

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You must access to a lot of money! Just how did you conclude that the chemical is "safe" in human livers. Did you do experiments on humans (and their livers)? I hope not!

Determining if anything is "safe" is strictly a matter of opinion. It is not a scientific exercise. It is important to be truthful when presenting facts in a scientific manner.

If you actually spent "millions" on this you should spell out some more details. If the rabbits died as you claim I would be concerned. What chemical were you "testing", and at what dose.

Exactly what "air coolant" are you testing?

Answer 3

although rabbits and rats are from the rodent family the rabbits have a low tolerance to different environment than rats do. the nervous system in a rabbit is very different meaning that the heart rate beats much faster and are not adaptable than that of a rat.

Answer 4

The chemical works by a specific method that rabbits don't like, but rats don't mind.

Cats and dogs are the same way - for example, the anesthetic propofol requires different dosages in dogs than cats in terms of mL/kg weight. This is because cats and dogs process the anesthetic differently.

Answer 5

rabbits have leess tolerant power than rats

Answer 6

it would seem to me that if you are doing this type of research you would have better sources than this venue.