Mouse

Comparison of serial blood collection by facial vein and retrobulbar methods in C57BL/6 mice

Many biomedical research protocols for mouse models involve serial blood collection and analysis. Two common techniques for serial blood collection in this species are the retrobulbar (RB, also called retroorbital) and facial vein (FV) methods. However, previous studies comparing these...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Frohlich, J. R., Alarcón, C. N., Toarmino, C. R. et al. 2018. Comparison of serial blood collection by facial vein and retrobulbar methods in C57BL/6 mice. JAALAS 57(4), 382-391.

To group or not to group? Good practice for housing male laboratory mice

It is widely recommended to group-house male laboratory mice because they are ‘social animals', but male mice do not naturally share territories and aggression can be a serious welfare problem. Even without aggression, not all animals within a group will...

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

Citation: Kappel, S., Hawkins, P., Mendl, M. 2017. To group or not to group? Good practice for housing male laboratory mice. Animals 7(12), 88.

Side effects of pain and analgesia in animal experimentation

This review highlights selected effects of untreated pain and of widely used analgesics such as opioids, non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and antipyretics, to illustrate the relevance of carefully planned, appropriate and controlled analgesia for greater reproducibility in animal experiments involving laboratory...

Year Published: 2017Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Jirkof, P. 2017. Side effects of pain and analgesia in animal experimentation. Lab Animal 46(4), 123-128.

Laboratory environmental factors and pain behavior: The relevance of unknown unknowns to reproducibility and translation

The poor record of basic-to-clinical translation in recent decades has led to speculation that preclinical research is “irreproducible”, and this irreproducibility in turn has largely been attributed to deficiencies in reporting and statistical practices. There are, however, a number of...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Mogil, J. S. 2017. Laboratory environmental factors and pain behavior: The relevance of unknown unknowns to reproducibility and translation. Lab Animal 46(4), 136-141.

Aggression in group-housed laboratory mice: Why can’t we solve the problem?

Group housing is highly important for social animals. However, it can also give rise to aggression, one of the most serious welfare concerns in laboratory mouse husbandry. Severe fighting can lead to pain, injury and even death. In addition, working...

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

Citation: Weber, E. M., Dallaire, J. A., Gaskill, B. N. et al. 2017. Aggression in group-housed laboratory mice: Why can't we solve the problem? Lab Animal 46(4), 157-161.

The effect of early life experience, environment, and genetic factors on spontaneous home-cage aggression-related wounding in male C57BL/6 mice

Aggression is a major welfare issue in mice, particularly when mice unfamiliar to each other are first placed in cages, as happens on receipt from a vendor, and following cage cleaning. Injuries from aggression are the second leading cause of...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Stottler, A. M., Garner, J. P. et al. 2017. The effect of early life experience, environment, and genetic factors on spontaneous home-cage aggression-related wounding in male C57BL/6 mice. Lab Animal 46(4), 176-184.

The effect of light level, CO2 flow rate, and anesthesia on the stress response of mice during CO2 euthanasia

Euthanasia protocols are designed to mitigate the stress experienced by animals, and an environment that induces minimal stress helps achieve that goal. A protocol that is efficient and practical in a typical animal research facility is also important. Light intensity,...

Year Published: 2016Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Powell, K., Ethun, K., Taylor, D. K. 2016. The effect of light level, CO2 flow rate, and anesthesia on the stress response of mice during CO2 euthanasia. Lab Animal 45(10), 386-395.

Evaluation of buprenorphine hydrochloride Pluronic® gel formulation in male C57BL/6NCrl mice

Providing adequate analgesia while minimizing handling and stress post-surgery can be challenging. Recently, there have been commercial products made available for providing long acting analgesia in rodents. However, we find there are limitations for use in mice due to the...

Year Published: 2016Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Blankenship-Paris, T. L., Dutton, J. W., Goulding, D. R. et al. 2016. Evaluation of buprenorphine hydrochloride Pluronic® gel formulation in male C57BL/6NCrl mice. Lab Animal 45(10), 370-379.

Perioperative support reduces mortality of obese BALB/c mice after ovariectomy

The incidence of obesity is on the rise in most western countries and represents major risks to health. Obesity causes complex metabolic dysfunctions and can be associated with a large number of secondary diseases. To investigate causal mechanisms of obesity...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Reproduction, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Mattheis, L., Jung, J.-S., Hiebl, B. et al. 2016. Perioperative support reduces mortality of obese BALB/c mice after ovariectomy. Lab Animal 45(7), 262-267.

Laboratory mouse housing conditions can be improved using common environmental enrichment without compromising data

Animal welfare requires the adequate housing of animals to ensure health and well-being. The application of environmental enrichment is a way to improve the well-being of laboratory animals. However, it is important to know whether these enrichment items can be...

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

Citation: André, V., Gau, C., Scheideler, A. et al. 2018. Laboratory mouse housing conditions can be improved using common environmental enrichment without compromising data. PLOS Biology 16(4), e2005019.