Blunting/cutting canines of adult male monkeys: a discussion by the Laboratory Animal Refinement Enrichment Forum

摘要

When you keep adult Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) males, adult Cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) males or adult Vervet males (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), in the same enclosure, is it advisable to have the canines of the males blunted or cut? (Reinhardt)I have worked with pair and group-housed male macaques who have had intact, blunted, or pulpotomised canines. My personal preference is to keep the canines fully intact or have only the tips blunted. Crush injuries from amputated canines can bemuch more severe and dangerous than a clean-cut injury inflicted by an intact or slightly blunted canine. It is sometimes indicated to blunt the tips of a male's canines because of overgrowth of the teeth or in older animals who develop a slight off-setof the jaw. Slightly blunting will prevent the tips of the canines from injuring the interior of the lower lip or other areas of the oral cavity. As for pulpotomies, I've seen too many begin to infect or develop abscess over time. I reserve pulpotomies for situations when it is necessary to remove the canine due to a severe infection or break of the tooth. (Skoumbourdis).