Mouse

Medicated jelly as a replacement for injectables and the use of Maropitant to manage itchy skin in mice

It is desirable to administer drugs by the least invasive route to (1) optimise welfare, (2) reduce the risk of injury to animal handlers and (3) minimise the impact of restraint and transient pain on physiological and experimental readouts. Bio-Serv®...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Donaldson-Wing, M. 2022. Medicated jelly as a replacement for injectables and the use of Maropitant to manage itchy skin in mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 21(2), 134-136.

Effects of non-aversive versus tail-lift handling on breeding productivity in a C57BL/6J mouse colony

Non-aversive handling is a well-documented refinement measure for improving rodent welfare. Because maternal stress is related to reduced productivity, we hypothesized that welfare benefits associated with non-aversive handling would translate to higher production and fewer litters lost in a laboratory...

Year Published: 2022Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hull, M. A., Reynolds, P. S., Nunamaker, E. A. 2022. Effects of non-aversive versus tail-lift handling on breeding productivity in a C57BL/6J mouse colony. PLOS ONE 17(1), e0263192.

Voluntary wheel running behaviour as a tool to assess the severity in a mouse pancreatic cancer model

Laboratory animals frequently undergo routine experimental procedures such as handling, restraining and injections. However, as a known source of stress, these procedures potentially impact study outcome and data quality. In the present study, we, therefore, performed an evidence-based severity assessment...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Weegh, N., Zentrich, E., Zechner, D. et al. 2021. Voluntary wheel running behaviour as a tool to assess the severity in a mouse pancreatic cancer model. PLOS ONE 16(12), e0261662.

Refined ways to pick up mice

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement of laboratory animal welfare, the North American 3Rs Collaborative (NA3RsC) brought together several experts to examine the evidence, impact, and practicality of alternative methods for picking up mice.

Year Published: 2022Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: LaFollette, M. R. 2022. Refined ways to pick up mice. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 10(2) (March/April), 46-48.

A new feeder device to provide cleaner and accessible diet gel to laboratory mice

Gel solutions are simple to use, have a relative long shelf life and can be delivered with plastic cups or pouches. A common issue encountered by many institutions is that the gel becomes soiled quickly due to multiple factors such...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Scorrano, F. 2022. A new feeder device to provide cleaner and accessible diet gel to laboratory mice. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 10(2) (March/April), 50-52.

Effects of hair removal creams on mouse skin

Human hair removal brands such as Nair™ are sometimes used in research to remove hair from mice before surgery, imaging, and other procedures.1,3 While the use of these depilatory creams in rodent research is relatively widespread, few studies have evaluated...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Reichert, M., Koewler, N., Hargis, A. M. et al. 2022. Effects of hair removal creams on mouse skin. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 10(3) (May/June), 46-47.

Social buffering as a tool for improving rodent welfare

The presence of a conspecific can be calming to some species of animal during stress, a phenomenon known as social buffering. For rodents, social buffering can reduce the perception of and reaction to aversive experiences. With a companion, animals may...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Denommé, M. R., Mason, G. J. 2022. Social buffering as a tool for improving rodent welfare. JAALAS 61(1), 5-14.

Evaluation of various IVC systems according to mouse reproductive performance and husbandry and environmental parameters

IVC systems are marketed for improving the health and management of mouse colonies. The current study compared mouse reproductive performance and husbandry and environmental parameters among 3 high-density (HD) IVC rack systems (RS1, RS2, and RS3), which were present in...

Year Published: 2022Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Stover, M. G., Villano, J. S. 2022. Evaluation of various IVC systems according to mouse reproductive performance and husbandry and environmental parameters. JAALAS 61(1), 31-41.

Behavioral and physiologic effects of dirty bedding exposure in female ICR mice

Exposure of sentinel mice to dirty bedding is commonly used in health monitoring programs to screen colonies for clinical and subclinical disease. Despite the potential stressors present in dirty bedding, including but not limited to microorganisms, pheromones, and ammonia, it...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Merley, A. L., Hubbard, J. S., Rendahl, A. K. et al. 2022. Behavioral and physiologic effects of dirty bedding exposure in female ICR mice. JAALAS 61(1), 42-51.

Comparison of gelatin flavors for oral dosing of C57BL/6J and FVB/N mice

Precise oral dosing in rodents is usually achieved by intragastric gavage. If performed incorrectly due to technical difficulties, inexperience, or animal resistance, oral gavage may have animal welfare implications such as esophageal and gastric rupture and aspiration. The stress that...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Martins, T., Matos, A. F., Soares, J. et al. 2022. Comparison of gelatin flavors for oral dosing of C57BL/6J and FVB/N mice. JAALAS 61(1), 89-95.