Rodent

Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction (4th Ed)

Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction, Fourth Edition offers a user-friendly guide to the unique anatomy and physiology, care, common diseases, and treatment of small mammals and nonhuman primates. Carefully designed for ease of use, the book includes tip boxes,...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Regulations & Ethical Review, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Ferret, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Hrapkiewicz, K., Colby, L. A., Denison, P. 2013. Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine: An Introduction (4th Ed). Wiley-Blackwell, Ames, IA.

The naked truth: Breeding performance in nude mice with and without nesting material

In laboratories, mice are housed at ambient temperatures between 20 and 24 C, which is below their lower critical temperature of 30 C, but comfortable for human workers. Thus, mice are under chronic thermal stress, which can compromise many aspects...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Winnicker, C., Garner, J. P. et al. 2013. The naked truth: Breeding performance in nude mice with and without nesting material. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 143(2-4), 110-116.

Individually ventilated cages impose cold stress on laboratory mice: A source of systemic experimental variability

Individual ventilated cages (IVC) are increasing in popularity. Although mice avoid IVC in preference testing, they show no aversion when provided additional nesting material or the cage is not ventilated. Given the high ventilation rate in IVC, we developed 3...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: David, J. M., Knowles, S., Lamkin, D. M. et al. 2013. Individually ventilated cages impose cold stress on laboratory mice: A source of systemic experimental variability. JAALAS 52(6), 738-744.

Individually ventilated cages impose cold-stress on laboratory mice: A source of systemic experimental variability

Individual ventilated cages (IVC) have recently been increasing in popularity. Based on the high rates of ventilation with IVCs, we developed 3 hypotheses: first, mice housed in IVCs experience significantly more cold-stress than mice housed in static cages; second, the...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: David, J. M., Stout, D. 2013. Individually ventilated cages impose cold-stress on laboratory mice: A source of systemic experimental variability. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 610 (Abstract #PS10).

Colored enrichment devices influence behavior and circadian metabolism and physiology in Sprague-Dawley rats

Enrichment devices and strategies, as currently endorsed by the Guide, are used to improve laboratory animal health and wellbeing. Many conclusions supporting this premise, however, are based primarily on observational studies with minimal consideration for circadian physiology and metabolism. Our...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Wren, M. A., Dauchy, R. T., Hill, S. M. et al. 2013. Colored enrichment devices influence behavior and circadian metabolism and physiology in Sprague-Dawley rats. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 608 (Abstract #PS2).

Challenges and opportunities of implementing EU standards for social housing of rodents

The EU Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes specifically states: Animals, except those which are naturally solitary, shall be socially housed in stable groups of compatible individuals. Even in cases where single housing is allowed, the...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Winnicker, C. 2013. Challenges and opportunities of implementing EU standards for social housing of rodents. Enrichment Record 15, 3-4.

More bedding is better for mice

A study was run to determine the optimum level of bedding to be dispensed into clean mouse cage bases. A depth of approximately 25mm was found to increase foraging and burrowing, decrease fighting, and require less frequent cleaning (this causing...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: White, M. 2012. More bedding is better for mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 11, 149-150.

Fresh façades for rodent homes: Revisiting enrichment naturally

Currently, enrichment consists of a variety of plastic toys to promote natural behaviors, but why use artificial devices when you could use natural materials like the animals experience in their native environment? ... From these three tests it appears that...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Wasko, K., Acklin, C. J. 2013. Fresh façades for rodent homes: Revisiting enrichment naturally. Enrichment Record 16, 9-11.

Hormonal stress response of laboratory mice to conventional and minimally invasive bleeding techniques

Conventional bleeding of small laboratory animals is often associated with stress and injuries that can cause haematomas, inflammation and ultimately the death of animals under investigation. Here, we used faecal glucocorticoid metabolites as an indicator of stress imposed on laboratory...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Voigt, C. C., Klockner, P., Touma, C. et al. 2013. Hormonal stress response of laboratory mice to conventional and minimally invasive bleeding techniques. Animal Welfare 22(4), 449-455.

Housing condition and nesting experience do not affect the time to integrate to nest test (TINT)

Managing and assessing well-being in laboratory mice (Mus musculus) is both challenging and necessary. Assessments intended to detect negative welfare states in mice are usually performed via observation of animals in the home cage, but a substantial amount of time...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Rock, M. L., Karas, A. Z., Gallo, M. S. et al. 2014. Housing condition and nesting experience do not affect the time to integrate to nest test (TINT). Animal Welfare 23(4), 381-385.