Open AccessDiurnal, seasonal, and sex patterns of heart rate in grip‐restrained African giant rats ( Cricetomys gambianus , Waterhouse)
Author(s) -
Dzenda Tavershima,
Ayo Joseph O.,
Sinkalu Victor O.,
Yaqub Lukuman S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
physiological reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 2051-817X
DOI - 10.14814/phy2.12581
Subject(s) - dry season , morning , wet season , zoology , biology , diurnal temperature variation , veterinary medicine , medicine , ecology , meteorology , geography
This study was carried out to determine heart rate ( HR ) values, including diurnal, seasonal, and sex patterns, in the African giant rat ( Cricetomys gambianus , Waterhouse). HR was measured using stethoscope in grip‐restrained African giant rats of either sex (103 bucks and 98 does), live‐trapped from a tropical Savannah, and caged individually in the laboratory during the harmattan (cold‐dry), hot‐dry, and rainy seasons over a 3‐year period. The HR fluctuated between 90 and 210 beats per minute (bpm) throughout the study period. Diurnal changes in HR (mean ± SEM ) during the hot‐dry and rainy seasons were nonsignificant ( P > 0.05), but the morning and afternoon values differed ( P < 0.01) during the cold‐dry season. The HR varied ( P < 0.05) among seasons, with peak, nadir, and moderate values recorded during the cold‐dry (165.8 ± 0.51 bpm), hot‐dry (153.1 ± 0.74 bpm), and rainy (163.4 ± 0.70 bpm) seasons, respectively. Mean HR of bucks was lower than that of does during the cold‐dry ( P < 0.0001) and hot‐dry ( P < 0.01) seasons, but sex difference during the rainy season was insignificant ( P > 0.05). Overall, mean HR was lower ( P < 0.0001) in bucks (158.8 ± 0.53 bpm) than in does (164.8 ± 0.53 bpm). In conclusion, values of HR in African giant rats are shown for the first time. Season, sex, and daytime influenced the HR, and should be considered during clinical evaluations of the rats.