Mouse

Which form of environmental enrichment is most effective in rodent models of autism?

Environmental enrichment (EE) is known to produce experience-dependent changes in the brains and behaviors of rodents, and it has therefore been widely used to study neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. Current studies show significant protocol variation, such as the presence of...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Caires, C. R. S., Bossolani-Martins, A. L. 2023. Which form of environmental enrichment is most effective in rodent models of autism? Behavioural Processes 211, 104915.

Rapid ammonia build-up in small individually ventilated mouse cages cannot be overcome by adjusting the amount of bedding

We sought to investigate if varying levels of bedding had an effect on intra-cage ammonia levels in individually ventilated mouse cages (Euro Standard Types II and III). Employing a routine 2 week cage-changing interval, our goal is to keep ammonia levels...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Eskandarani, M. A., Hau, J., Kalliokoski, O. 2023. Rapid ammonia build-up in small individually ventilated mouse cages cannot be overcome by adjusting the amount of bedding. Lab Animal 52(6), 130–135.

Use of a toy soak to maximize staff efficiency in cage wash operations

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals emphasizes that the primary aim of environmental enrichment is to enhance animal well-being. At our facility, at the end of a two-week cycle in a rodent cage, enrichment accessories and...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Hamster, Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Molnar, D. L., Vernasco Price, E. J. 2023. Use of a toy soak to maximize staff efficiency in cage wash operations. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(2) (March/April), 40-41.

Mice just want to have fun: Playpens facilitate faster training in non-invasive techniques for improved refinement and well-being

Practical mechanisms that can be implemented by animal facilities to enhance refinement include the use of non-aversive handling, non-invasive alternative procedures, and additional environmental enrichment. Thus, we sought to collate these techniques by developing a protocol that utilizes positive reinforcement...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Krall, C., Hopper, L. M., Hutchinson, E. K. 2023. Mice just want to have fun: Playpens facilitate faster training in non-invasive techniques for improved refinement and well-being. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(4) (July/August), 22-24.

Overcoming the hurdles of lab animal enrichment: Natural behaviors vs. scientific need

The Animal Resources Core (ARC) at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute (AWRI) at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) faces many of the same challenges other institutions manage in terms of enrichment for laboratory animals. A Behavior Assessment Team (BAT) was developed...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chinchilla, Fish, Goat, Mouse, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Sheep, Zebrafish

Citation: Mantz, M., Pugerud, A. 2024. Overcoming the hurdles of lab animal enrichment: Natural behaviors vs. scientific need. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 12(1) (January/February), 32-34.

A cost-effective restraint method for safer subcutaneous scruff injections and reducing stress in mice and handlers

Subcutaneous injection is a vital technique in mouse-based biomedical research. Compared to other injections, the subcutaneous method poses fewer technical challenges and reduces acute toxicity risks due to slower absorption. Several suitable subcutaneous injection sites exist in mice, including the...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Fitzwater, A., Zhang, L. 2024. A cost-effective restraint method for safer subcutaneous scruff injections and reducing stress in mice and handlers. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 12(1) (January/February), 52-53.

Thirty years of telemetry-based data acquisition for cardiovascular drug safety evaluation: Applications and optimization

Conducting safety evaluations of new drugs using conscious animals has been a specialty of our working group for thirty years. In this article, we review the various technical challenges and solutions dealt with over the years to improve both the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, External Bodily EquipmentAnimal Type: Dog, Guinea Pig, Macaque, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Alizadeh, E. A., Graf, K., Schiwon, J. et al. 2023. Thirty years of telemetry-based data acquisition for cardiovascular drug safety evaluation: Applications and optimization. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 122, 107279.

Why all healthy laboratory animals should be rehomed, no matter how small

This paper explores the ethical imperative of rehoming all healthy animals of sentient species after experiments have finished or when they have become otherwise redundant. We take into account disparate perspectives in animal ethics and see how they point in...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General, Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Janssens, M. R. E. 2023. Why all healthy laboratory animals should be rehomed, no matter how small. Animals 13(17), 2727.

More exploratory house mice judge an ambiguous situation more negatively

Exploration tendency, one of the most investigated animal personality traits, may be driven by either positive (when seeking interesting information) or negative (to reduce the uncertainty of the environment) affective/emotional profiles. To disentangle the valence of the affective state associated...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, PersonalityAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Verjat, A., Devienne, P., Rödel, H. G. et al. 2021. More exploratory house mice judge an ambiguous situation more negatively. Animal Cognition 24(1), 53–64.

Reduction in cold stress in an innovative metabolic cage housing system increases animal welfare in laboratory mice

Housing in metabolic cages can induce a pronounced stress response. Metabolic cage systems imply housing mice on metal wire mesh for the collection of urine and feces in addition to monitoring food and water intake. Moreover, mice are single-housed, and...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Wittek, L., Touma, C., Nitezki, T. et al. 2023. Reduction in cold stress in an innovative metabolic cage housing system increases animal welfare in laboratory mice. Animals 13(18), 2866.