Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide on Rats?
WouterHydrogen peroxide can cause serious adverse effects in rats, especially when ingested in large amounts. One study examined the effects of hydrogen peroxide in drinking water on rats. It revealed that drinking water containing 1% hydrogen peroxide in rats induced duodenal hyperplasia and localized duodenal carcinomas. The activity of the enzyme catalase in the duodenum was negatively correlated with the incidence of these tumors. Furthermore, rats exposed to 1% hydrogen peroxide in their drinking water developed forestomach papillomas. Humans do not have a forestomach, but they do have comparable squamous epithelium tissue in the oral cavity and upper portion of the oesophagus.
Hydrogen peroxide is toxic at low doses and is harmful to skin, mucous membranes, and the eyes. Exposure to it may cause harm, particularly in people with certain genetic disorders. The oral LD50 of hydrogen peroxide in rats ranges from 600 to 1617 mg/kg body weight.
Another study used C57BL/6N mice to assess the effects of hydrogen peroxide in drinking water. Mice were given 0.4% hydrogen peroxide in drinking water. This treatment resulted in similar body weights as controls after 30 days. The 0.4% group showed a slight decrease in female bodyweight. Overall, survival among control mice was 54%, but it increased to 61% among mice treated with 0.4% hydrogen peroxide.
A topical hydrogen peroxide solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide is also useful. It can be applied directly to the affected area, and is also helpful in sponge baths for sick rats. Q-Tips are also helpful in the treatment of infections and abscesses. They can reach hard-to-reach places and can easily clean out obstructions from the mouth. A Q-Tip can even remove a foreign body that clogs a rat’s mouth without damaging it.
