Mouse

Beyond comfort: A review of the critical role of bedding selection in rodent welfare, microenvironment, and research reproducibility

This review addresses the critical but often underappreciated influence of bedding selection on rodent welfare, cage microenvironment, occupational health, and research outcomes in biomedical studies. Although contact bedding is widely preferred by mice and rats and is the current industry...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: O’Connell, K. A., Celdran-Bonafonte, D. 2026. Beyond comfort: A review of the critical role of bedding selection in rodent welfare, microenvironment, and research reproducibility. JAALAS 65(2), 146–158.

Enhancing rodent welfare, cost savings, and efficiency: Implementation and review of data-driven improvements

At the University of Chicago, we have implemented multiple practical, data-driven 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) strategies to improve rodent welfare over the past 5 years. As there are limited publications that outline an institutional approach, this work reviews the enhancements...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Husbandry & Management, Relocation & Transport, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Luchins, K. R., Felgenhauer, J. L. 2026. Enhancing rodent welfare, cost savings, and efficiency: Implementation and review of data-driven improvements. JAALAS 65(2), 159–167.

Effects of partial cage dividers on animal welfare and social behavior in California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

California mice (Peromyscus californicus) are an important model species for studying social behaviors that are not readily expressed in standard laboratory mouse and rat lines. Under natural conditions, this species is highly territorial, and both males and females exhibit high...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Knollenberg, B. L., Dye, A. F., Oakland, Z. T. et al. 2026. Effects of partial cage dividers on animal welfare and social behavior in California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 296, 106905.

Effects of cage change and nest transfer on artificial intelligence-measured behaviors in male C57BL/6 mice

Cage changes can be a stressful period in a mouse’s life due to the rapid change of environment. It is essential to study the behavioral effects of a cage change on mice, including drinking, eating, aggression, and sleep, as these...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Kizielewicz, N., Molk, D., Camacho, J. et al. 2026. Effects of cage change and nest transfer on artificial intelligence-measured behaviors in male C57BL/6 mice. JAALAS 65(2), 311–323.

Environmental enrichment enhances inter-individual variability in nest-building behavior in male mice

Environmental enrichment (EE) affects brain function and behavior in laboratory animals. In this study, we investigated the behavioral and physiological effects of short-term EE exposure on male C57BL/6J mice. Juvenile mice were housed for 2 weeks under either EE or...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Iwasaki, M., Kurokawa, S., Suzuki, H. et al. 2026. Environmental enrichment enhances inter-individual variability in nest-building behavior in male mice. Physiology & Behavior 308, 115265.

A software based, minimally invasive validated image processing approach for the visualization of blood flow dynamics in mice

Background The blood flow changes due to various physiological or pathological causes represent the response of the CNS for the maintenance of metabolic and functional requirements of the brain and related structures. Visualization of blood dynamics can enable the monitoring...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Imaging & Electrophysiological RecordingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: İnan, T., Doğru, M. T., Sara, M. Y. et al. 2026. A software based, minimally invasive validated image processing approach for the visualization of blood flow dynamics in mice. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 431, 110747.

Cuprizone in peanut butter: An alternative method of cuprizone administration to model demyelination of the central nervous system

Modeling disease in rodents is essential for preclinical research, particularly in the development of drugs and therapies. Traditional disease modeling approaches often rely on invasive and stressful procedures such as repeated injections and/or surgical approaches. These methods raise welfare concerns...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hawker, B., Chiddicks, E., Flanagan, J. et al. 2026. Cuprizone in peanut butter: An alternative method of cuprizone administration to model demyelination of the central nervous system. JAALAS 65(2), 270–278.

Exploration of refined humane endpoints for melioidosis in BALB/c mice

The development of humane endpoints is critical for refining scientific studies involving animals. Body weight and clinical signs of disease data collected in four recent studies assessing medical countermeasures for utility against the disease melioidosis in mice were further analyzed....

Year Published: 2026Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane EndpointAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Harris, M. P., Barnes, K. B., Laws, T. R. et al. 2026. Exploration of refined humane endpoints for melioidosis in BALB/c mice. Lab Animal 55(2), 40–47.

AnaesthesiaSkills in Veterinary Medicine: Perioperative Management in Small, Companion and Domestic Animals

This book is designed as a practice-orientated text covering monitoring and equipment, established protocols, pain management, complications and underlying disease. The strength of the book is the inclusion of a relatively wide spectrum of species – dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets,...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Analgesia, Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Cat, Cattle, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Gerbil, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Eberspächer-Schweda, E. 2024. AnaesthesiaSkills in Veterinary Medicine: Perioperative Management in Small, Companion and Domestic Animals. Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc, 512 pp.

Social housing of postoperative animals to support animal welfare

Single housing of animals, or social isolation, is a known stressor for many species. Generally, laboratory animals are housed in social groups as a default to support their behavioral welfare. In some research protocols, investigators may request exemptions from social...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Regulations & Ethical Review, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: All/General, Cat, Dog, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: Darbyshire, A., Beninson, J., Dyson, M. C. et al. 2026. Social housing of postoperative animals to support animal welfare. JAALAS 65(1), 11–18.