Mouse

Social and environmental enrichment has different effects on ethanol and sucrose consumption in mice

Factors leading to the harmful consumption of substances, like alcohol and sucrose, involve a complex interaction of genes and the environment. While we cannot control the genes we inherit, we can modify our environment. Understanding the role that social and...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Holgate, J. Y., Garcia, H., Chatterjee, S. et al. 2017. Social and environmental enrichment has different effects on ethanol and sucrose consumption in mice. Brain and Behavior 7(8), e00767.

The introduction of a cable tie swing and its impact on animal welfare

Common enrichment for mice is usually restricted to the floor and easily damaged, leading to frequent replacement. We have been studying the behaviour of NSG mice towards a 'swing' made from plastic cable ties. This enhances the 3-dimensional space which...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Dean, L., Swan, J., Lopez-Salesansky, N. et al. 2018. The introduction of a cable tie swing and its impact on animal welfare. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(1), 43-45.

Time for change? Practicalities of implementing non-aversive methods for handling mice

Recent studies have shown that the method choice for handling laboratory mice is important to animal welfare. In 2015, 60% of all animals used in Home Office procedures were laboratory mice. Given the large number of mice within global facilities,...

Year Published: 2017Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Waters, J. 2017. Time for change? Practicalities of implementing non-aversive methods for handling mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 16(1), 47-56.

Report of the 2016 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Group meeting

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent (and now Rabbit) Welfare Group held a one-day meeting on 1 November 2016 at the University of Edinburgh and was attended by 70 delegates. Presentation topics included refinements in blood sampling rodents, reducing suffering in projects involving...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Disease/Experimental Model, Husbandry & Management, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., McNeilly, A., Watson, J. et al. 2017. Report of the 2016 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Group meeting. Animal Technology and Welfare 16(2), 77-86.

3Rs improvements in the Bexsero® (Meningitis B) vaccine

Bexsero® is a new vaccine in the UK which since September 2015 has been added to the childhood immunisation programme for the prevention of Meningitis B. The in-vivo test as performed in Biological Services Division (BSD) uses female CD1 mice...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Analgesia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ferguson, R. 3Rs improvements in the Bexsero® (Meningitis B) vaccine. Animal Technology and Welfare 16(2), 150-152.

Refining the palpation technique to improve monitoring in the transgenic mouse

We have developed an accurate method of detecting and monitoring internal ovarian tumours. This reduces the number of procedures, refines the way we detect internal tumours and defines an end point before animals become visibly sick. The problems with the...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Forrest, G., Whitfield, L., Thapa, A. 2017. Refining the palpation technique to improve monitoring in the transgenic mouse. Animal Technology and Welfare 16(2), 153-154.

Report of the 2017 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Group meeting

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent (and now Rabbit) Welfare Group held a one-day meeting on 14 November 2017 in Weybridge, UK. The first session addressed meeting animals' needs and aiming for a 'good life', with the needs of female breeding rabbits as...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., McBride, A., Paiba, G. et al. 2018. Report of the 2017 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Group meeting. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(2), 75-83. [Meeting Report]

Refinement of tumour passage by optimisation of the tissue disaggregation protocol

Surgical implantation of tumour pieces has been used regularly in the passage of tumour models. This involves an invasive surgical procedure, carried out under anaesthesia, ensuring mice have adequate pain relief and peri-operative care. The procedure also requires multiple tumour-bearing...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Galvin, M., Lallo, A., Brown, S. et al. 2018. Refinement of tumour passage by optimisation of the tissue disaggregation protocol. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(2), 101-103.

Refining mouse handling – do we or don’t we? An animal technologist’s perspective

Recent research in the industry identified that picking up mice in a tunnel or cupping them in the hand significantly reduces their stress levels. As Animal Tecgnologists, we could see advantages and disadvantages with this change for the animals, staff...

Year Published: 2018Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Swan, A. 2018. Refining mouse handling - do we or don't we? An animal technologist's perspective. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(2), 130-131.

Synchronisation of oestrous cycle on C57BL/6J mice after the introduction of a hanging perforated container with bedding soaked by the excretions of male mice

Synchronisation of oestrous cycle is a commonly used method to manage pregnancies either for breeding or for research purposes. Based on Whitten effect, the aim of our study was to introduce a new refined method for oestrous synchronisation and to...

Year Published: 2018Topics: ReproductionAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Balafas, E., Stasinopoulou, M., Alexakos, P. et al. 2018. Synchronisation of oestrous cycle on C57BL/6J mice after the introduction of a hanging perforated container with bedding soaked by the excretions of male mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(1), 9-11.