Publications

Use of a toy soak to maximize staff efficiency in cage wash operations

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals emphasizes that the primary aim of environmental enrichment is to enhance animal well-being. At our facility, at the end of a two-week cycle in a rodent cage, enrichment accessories and...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Hamster, Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Molnar, D. L., Vernasco Price, E. J. 2023. Use of a toy soak to maximize staff efficiency in cage wash operations. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(2) (March/April), 40-41.

Nonhuman primate enrichment evaluation program

Noting that it is typical for enrichment devices to be approved by a committee and understanding that this is paramount for animal safety, we began to think outside the box and seek additional ways to approve enrichment devices for the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Deugan, C. R., Gross, A. A. 2023. Nonhuman primate enrichment evaluation program. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(2) (March/April), 46-49.

Aced it! Performing large volume survival bleeds in rabbits

New Zealand White rabbits are commonly used for polyclonal antibody production, which can require collecting no more than 10% of total body weight every two weeks (approximately 20 ml of blood for a 4 kg rabbit). In order to collect...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Brown, A. 2023. Aced it! Performing large volume survival bleeds in rabbits. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(3) (May/June), 44-46.

Mice just want to have fun: Playpens facilitate faster training in non-invasive techniques for improved refinement and well-being

Practical mechanisms that can be implemented by animal facilities to enhance refinement include the use of non-aversive handling, non-invasive alternative procedures, and additional environmental enrichment. Thus, we sought to collate these techniques by developing a protocol that utilizes positive reinforcement...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Krall, C., Hopper, L. M., Hutchinson, E. K. 2023. Mice just want to have fun: Playpens facilitate faster training in non-invasive techniques for improved refinement and well-being. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(4) (July/August), 22-24.

A fat tailed what?!: Navigating husbandry for the fat tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata)

FTDs are Australian carnivorous nocturnal marsupials, whose diet, environmental needs, and enrichment vary from typical research species. Due to the limited working knowledge on the husbandry and care of this species in a biomedical setting, information was compiled from multiple...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Husbandry & Management, ReproductionAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Powell, J., Collins, T., Beaty, T. et al. 2023. A fat tailed what?!: Navigating husbandry for the fat tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata). Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(4) (July/August), 46-48.

Comparison of agents to maintain hydration of Yucatan minipig skin

Itchy, dry skin…on pigs? Yes! Yucatan minipigs are commonly used in biomedical research and are prone to dry skin (xerosis) accompanied by itchy skin (pruritus). At our institution, minipigs were oiled twice weekly with lanolin to mitigate this condition, however,...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Davis, C., Brown, J., Matthews, L. et al. 2023. Comparison of agents to maintain hydration of Yucatan minipig skin. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(4) (July/August), 50-52.

Comparison of three environmentally friendly enrichments in single-housed Sprague Dawley rats

Numerous studies have shown the negative side effects the lack of enrichment has on the overall health of animals in research. This lack in data may lead to unnecessary risks for welfare issues, like the single housed lab rats that...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Strickland, B. 2023. Comparison of three environmentally friendly enrichments in single-housed Sprague Dawley rats. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(5) (September/October), 56-57.

Vivarium lighting and the new measurement metrics

In February 2023, a workshop entitled The 3rd International Workshop on Circadian and Neurophysiological Photometry was held in Manchester, UK to address the problem of light measurement in laboratory animal research. This workshop resulted in a consensus view of an...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Dauchy, R. T. 2023. Vivarium lighting and the new measurement metrics. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(6) (November/December), 16-18.

Using a cost-effective, efficient method to train young dogs to cooperate for multiple blood collection procedures in a pharmacokinetics study

Behavioral testing slings, such as the Pavlov sling, offer an effective form of restraint for beagles while minimizing stress. Although these slings provide effective restraint, their high cost makes them less likely to be considered when discussing restraint options, especially...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, RestraintAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Rexroat, E. K., Haughton, C. L., Fox, K. 2023. Using a cost-effective, efficient method to train young dogs to cooperate for multiple blood collection procedures in a pharmacokinetics study. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(6) (November/December), 34-36.

Increasing the psychological wellbeing of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) at the Cleveland Clinic

With the increased use of aquatic animals in research, especially zebrafish and African clawed frogs, there has been an increased interest in how to best address their psychological wellbeing. In this article, we have shown various ways to improve the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Fish, Frog & Toad, Zebrafish

Citation: Wood, H., Voros, G. B. 2023. Increasing the psychological wellbeing of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) at the Cleveland Clinic. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 11(6) (November/December), 38-40.