Mouse

Exploring refinement strategies for single housing of male C57BL/6JRj mice: Effect of cage divider on stress-related behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis activity

Introduction: Single housing of laboratory mice is a common practice to meet experimental needs, or to avoid intermale aggression. However, single housing is considered to negatively affect animal welfare and may compromise the scientific validity of experiments. The aim of...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Buckinx, A., Van Schuerbeek, A., Bossuyt, J. et al. 2021. Exploring refinement strategies for single housing of male C57BL/6JRj mice: Effect of cage divider on stress-related behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis activity. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 15, 743959.

Can animals develop depression? An overview and assessment of “depression-like” states

Describing certain animal behaviours as 'depression-like' or 'depressive' has become common across several fields of research. These typically involve unusually low activity or unresponsiveness and/or reduced interest in pleasure (anhedonia). While the term 'depression-like' carefully avoids directly claiming that animals...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Bird, Cattle, Chicken, Dog, Equine, Fowl, Macaque, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rat, Rodent

Citation: MacLellan, A., Fureix, C., Polanco, A. et al. 2021. Can animals develop depression? An overview and assessment of “depression-like” states. Behaviour 158(14/15), 1303–1353.

Exploring refinement strategies for single housing of male C57BL/6JRj mice: Effect of cage divider on stress-related behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis activity

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Distress analysis of mice with cervical arteriovenous fistulas

The welfare of laboratory animals is a consistent concern for researchers. Its evaluation not only fosters ethical responsibility and addresses legal requirements, but also provides a solid basis for a high quality of research. Recently, a new cervical arteriovenous model...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Disease/Experimental ModelAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Xie, W., Palme, R., Schafmayer, C. et al. 2021. Distress analysis of mice with cervical arteriovenous fistulas. Animals 11(11), 3051.

Enriched laboratory housing increases sensitivity to social stress in female California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

Domesticated mice and rats have shown to be powerful model systems for biomedical research, but there are cases in which the biology of species is a poor match for the hypotheses under study. The California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) has unique...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Minie, V. A., Petric, R., Ramos-Maciel, S. et al. 2021. Enriched laboratory housing increases sensitivity to social stress in female California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 241, 105381.

Infrared thermography in the study of animals’ emotional responses: A critical review

Whether animals have emotions was historically a long-lasting question but, today, nobody disputes that they do. However, how to assess them and how to guarantee animals their welfare have become important research topics in the last 20 years. Infrared thermography...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Dog, Equine, Fowl, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Bird, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Travain, T., Valsecchi, P. 2021. Infrared thermography in the study of animals' emotional responses: A critical review. Animals 11(9), 2510.

Voluntary oral ingestion of a sedative prior to euthanasia with CO2: Behavioural responses of mice

Laboratory mice are commonly euthanised with carbon dioxide (CO2); however, there is ample evidence that this gas is aversive. Previous work suggests that sedation achieved via injection with benzodiazepines prior to CO2 administration could reduce aversive behaviours during euthanasia. We...

Year Published: 2021Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Rodriguez-Sanchez, R., Barnaby, E., Améndola, L. et al. 2021. Voluntary oral ingestion of a sedative prior to euthanasia with CO2: Behavioural responses of mice. Animals 11(10), 2879.

Roaming in a land of milk and honey: Life trajectories and metabolic rate of female inbred mice living in a semi naturalistic environment

Despite tremendous efforts at standardization, the results of scientific studies can vary greatly, especially when considering animal research. It is important to emphasize that consistent different personality-like traits emerge and accumulate over time in laboratory mice despite genetic and environmental...

Year Published: 2021Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Mieske, P., Diederich, K., Lewejohann, L. 2021. Roaming in a land of milk and honey: Life trajectories and metabolic rate of female inbred mice living in a semi naturalistic environment. Animals 11(10), 3002.

Refining procedures within regulatory toxicology studies: Improving animal welfare and data

During the development of potential new medicines or agrochemicals, an assessment of the safety profile to humans and environmental species is conducted using a range of different in silico and in vitro techniques in conjunction with metabolism and toxicity studies...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Cannulation, Catheterization, & Intubation, HousingAnimal Type: Dog, Fish, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Prior, H., Blunt, H., Crossman, L. et al. 2021. Refining procedures within regulatory toxicology studies: Improving animal welfare and data. Animals 11(11), 3057.

Refinements in head plate mouse nesting: Using composite nests to enhance welfare

When given the opportunity, mice will choose to build nests using multiple different materials. Studies indicate that providing mice with choices which mimic the natural environment allows laboratory mice to build the best quality nests and mice have also been...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, External Bodily EquipmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Windsor, Z. 2021. Refinements in head plate mouse nesting: Using composite nests to enhance welfare. Animal Technology and Welfare 20(2), 135-141.