Publications

Refined tamoxifen administration in mice by encouraging voluntary consumption of palatable formulations

Drug administration in preclinical rodent models is essential for research and the development of novel therapies. Compassionate administration methods have been developed, but these are mostly incompatible with water-insoluble drugs such as tamoxifen or do not allow for precise timing...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Vanhecke, D., Bugada, V., Steiner, R. et al. 2024. Refined tamoxifen administration in mice by encouraging voluntary consumption of palatable formulations. Lab Animal 53(8), 205–214.

The use of rabbits used to propagate human lice for research

The globally important human diseases of trench fever, epidemic typhus, and relapsing fever are vectored by the human louse Pediculus humanus humanus. Although these conditions are epidemically quiescent at present, they persist in socially dysfunctional situations of war, deprivation, and...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Disease/Experimental ModelAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Weisbroth, S. H. 2024. The use of rabbits used to propagate human lice for research. Comparative Medicine 74(3), 135–141.

Sedation efficacy of midazolam in conjunction with ketamine and alfaxalone in female laboratory guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Guinea pigs have been integral as models used in biomedical research, making significant contributions to nutritional, auditory, immunologic, and hypersensitivity studies, and necessitating the routine need for sedation in laboratory settings. The ketamine-xylazine (KX) combination has been the standard sedation...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Wharton, K. N., Walsh, C. A., Haulter, M. et al. 2024. Sedation efficacy of midazolam in conjunction with ketamine and alfaxalone in female laboratory guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). JAALAS 63(5), 572–580.

Effect of adopting a timothy hay–based diet at weaning or in adulthood on urinary tract parameters in strain 13/N guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Type of feed is an important consideration in herbivore colony management, yet limited studies report on the effects of diet on common conditions such as urolithiasis in guinea pigs. Urolithiasis is a well-documented cause of lower urinary tract disease in...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Wier, R. C., Flietstra, T. D., Coleman-McCray, J. D. et al. 2024. Effect of adopting a timothy hay–based diet at weaning or in adulthood on urinary tract parameters in strain 13/N guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). JAALAS 63(4), 385–396.

Can you dig it? The impact of a movable substrate “dig pit” on naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) behavior and welfare

Zoos are often limited by exhibit design in the opportunities they can provide animals to express natural behaviors; however, the opportunity to perform certain natural behaviors is key to supporting good animal welfare. Traditionally, in zoos, naked mole rats (Heterocephalus...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mole Rat, Rodent

Citation: Wierzal, N. K., Keeley, L., Fidino, M. et al. 2024. Can you dig it? The impact of a movable substrate “dig pit” on naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) behavior and welfare. Zoo Biology 43(5), 470–480.

Effects of supplemental diet during breeding on fertility, litter size, survival rate, and weaning weight in mice (Mus musculus)

The addition of supplemental diets to laboratory animals, specifically rodents, is a common practice for the provision of additional nutritional support. We set out to investigate whether the use of commercially available supplemental diets during breeding affected fertility rate, litter...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Wong, R. K., Carriero, S. J., Wadsworth, B. C. et al. 2024. Effects of supplemental diet during breeding on fertility, litter size, survival rate, and weaning weight in mice (Mus musculus). JAALAS 63(5), 480–487.

Evaluation of efficacy of 2 extended-release bupivacaine products in a porcine model of incisional pain

Extended-release (ER) local anesthetics are often incorporated in multi-modal analgesia or as an alternative when the effect of systemic analgesics may confound research. In this study, we compared the analgesic efficacy of 2 ER bupivacaine anesthetics with different ER mechanisms,...

Year Published: 2024Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Yang, P., Yang, S., Durham, L. B. et al. 2024. Evaluation of efficacy of 2 extended-release bupivacaine products in a porcine model of incisional pain. JAALAS 63(4), 422–427.

Effects of nesting material and housing parameters on feed wastage behavior in female Swiss Webster mice

Feed wastage in laboratory mice, also known as chewing or grinding behavior, is problematic for program management and animal welfare. The destruction of pelleted feed without consumption produces a powder accumulation on the cage floor called orts. Ort accumulation disrupts...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Zawacki, Z. E., Sharpe, J. A., Porco, T. C. et al. 2024. Effects of nesting material and housing parameters on feed wastage behavior in female Swiss Webster mice. JAALAS 63(5), 495–503.

Rat tickling: A systematic review of applications, outcomes, and moderators

Year Published: 2017Topics: Handling, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: LaFollette, M. R., O'Haire, M. E., Cloutier, S. et al. 2017. Rat tickling: A systematic review of applications, outcomes, and moderators. PLOS ONE 12(4), e0175320. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175320

Laughing rats are optimistic

Emotions can bias human decisions- for example depressed or anxious people tend to make pessimistic judgements while those in positive affective states are often more optimistic. Several studies have reported that affect contingent judgement biases can also be produced in...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Handling, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Rygula, R., Pluta, H., Popik, P. 2012. Laughing rats are optimistic. PLOS ONE 7(12), e51959.