Mouse

Are you real? Visual simulation of social housing by mirror image stimulation in single housed mice

Individual housing of social species is a common phenomenon in laboratory animal facilities. Single housing, however, is known to inflict social deprivation with a number of detrimental consequences. Aiming to improve housing conditions of single housed rodents, we investigated the...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Fuss, J., Richter, S. H., Steinle, J. et al. 2013. Are you real? Visual simulation of social housing by mirror image stimulation in single housed mice. Behavioural Brain Research 243, 191-198.

Impact of nesting material on mouse body temperature and physiology

In laboratories, mice are housed at 20-24 °C, which is below their lower critical temperature (≈30 °C). Thus, mice are potentially cold stressed, which can alter metabolism, immune function, and reproduction. These physiological changes reflect impaired wellbeing, and affect scientific...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Gordon, C. J., Davis, J. K. et al. 2013. Impact of nesting material on mouse body temperature and physiology. Physiology & Behavior 110, 87-95.

Nest building as an indicator of health and welfare

We demonstrate the utility of nest building behavior in laboratory mice as an indicator of welfare. Nest scoring is a sensitive technique that is altered by temperature, illness, and aggression. The time to integrate into nest test (TINT) is a...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Karas, A. Z., Garner. J. P. et al. 2013. Nest building as an indicator of health and welfare. JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) 83, e51012.

Effect of light intensity as determined by cage rack position on tumor growth in a mouse model of melanoma

Within the typical laboratory animal housing facility, animals may be exposed to varying intensities of light as a result of cage type, cage position, light source, and other factors. While evidence exists that light contamination during the dark phase of...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Suckow, M. A., Wilhite, S., Wolter, W. R. et al. 2013. Effect of light intensity as determined by cage rack position on tumor growth in a mouse model of melanoma. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 670 (Abstract #P178).

Validation of a refined technique for taking repeated blood samples from juvenile and adult mice

Repeated blood sampling from laboratory animals is desirable in certain experimental designs and also for reducing the number of animals used in research. Biochemical methods for analysing blood samples require only small blood volumes to be collected (typically 20-40 μL)....

Year Published: 2013Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Sadler, A. M., Bailey, S. J. 2013. Validation of a refined technique for taking repeated blood samples from juvenile and adult mice. Laboratory Animals 47(4), 316-319.

Can seeds help mice with the daily grind?

Some laboratory mice gnaw food pellets without ingesting much of the gnawed material, resulting in the production of waste material. The fact that this food grinding behavior is not seen in all individuals of a particular strain suggests that it...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Pritchett-Corning, K. R., Keefe, R., Garner, J. P. et al. 2013. Can seeds help mice with the daily grind? Laboratory Animals 47(4), 312-315.

Housing of female mice in a new environment and its influence on post-surgical behaviour and recovery

The transportation of mice into a new clean cage after surgery is a standard procedure but might have detrimental effects during the critical post-surgical recovery phase. To analyse the effect of post-surgical housing, female C57BL/6J mice housed in their familiar...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Jirkof, P., Cesarovic, N., Rettich, A. et al. 2013. Housing of female mice in a new environment and its influence on post-surgical behaviour and recovery. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 48, 209-217.

Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction (4th Ed)

Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction, Fourth Edition offers a user-friendly guide to the unique anatomy and physiology, care, common diseases, and treatment of small mammals and nonhuman primates. Carefully designed for ease of use, the book includes tip boxes,...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Regulations & Ethical Review, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Ferret, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Hrapkiewicz, K., Colby, L. A., Denison, P. 2013. Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction (4th Ed). Wiley-Blackwell, Ames, IA.

The naked truth: Breeding performance in nude mice with and without nesting material

In laboratories, mice are housed at ambient temperatures between 20 and 24 C, which is below their lower critical temperature of 30 C, but comfortable for human workers. Thus, mice are under chronic thermal stress, which can compromise many aspects...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Winnicker, C., Garner, J. P. et al. 2013. The naked truth: Breeding performance in nude mice with and without nesting material. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 143(2-4), 110-116.

Individually ventilated cages impose cold stress on laboratory mice: A source of systemic experimental variability

Individual ventilated cages (IVC) are increasing in popularity. Although mice avoid IVC in preference testing, they show no aversion when provided additional nesting material or the cage is not ventilated. Given the high ventilation rate in IVC, we developed 3...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: David, J. M., Knowles, S., Lamkin, D. M. et al. 2013. Individually ventilated cages impose cold stress on laboratory mice: A source of systemic experimental variability. JAALAS 52(6), 738-744.