Publications

Social housing of male CD-1 mice (Mus musculus) in the toxicological setting: A 28-day social compatibility study of male mice following oral gavage of theophylline

Group or pair housing of social animals in laboratory settings is beneficial to animal welfare. Social housing of male mice can be difficult due to possible aggressive behaviors, leading to injury and resulting in animals not being able to continue...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Blakie, L., Alves, S., Chase, F. T. et al. 2026. Social housing of male CD-1 mice (Mus musculus) in the toxicological setting: A 28-day social compatibility study of male mice following oral gavage of theophylline. JAALAS 65(1), 92–111.

Presence of ultrasonic noise in the housing colony affects behavior and physiology of adult Sprague Dawley rats

Perception is dictated by our sensory capabilities which vary widely across species. Hearing in humans is confined to a relatively narrow range, thus the presence of ultrasonic noise, sound with a frequency >20 kHz, is often overlooked. Concerningly, it has...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & Management, VocalizationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Bigelow, L. J., Pope, E. K., Sohasky, V. K. et al. 2026. Presence of ultrasonic noise in the housing colony affects behavior and physiology of adult Sprague Dawley rats. Physiology & Behavior 310, 115313.

Shelved cages impact affective behavior in Sprague Dawley rats – implications for animal welfare

Laboratory animal welfare has received increasing attention in recent years as housing protocols move toward favoring environments that allow natural behaviors. Within this study, the effects of housing male and female Sprague Dawley rats in standard cages versus taller cages...

Year Published: 2026Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Bigelow, L. J., Pope, E. K., Lee, C. P. et al. 2026. Shelved cages impact affective behavior in Sprague Dawley rats – implications for animal welfare. Laboratory Animals 60(1), 53–62.

Environmental enrichment with aquatic plants: Impact of the environment of choice on performance of bettas

This study aimed to evaluate the choice between environments with aquatic plants and the impact of the environment of choice on the performance of bettas (Betta splendens). First, the choice between environments with natural and artificial plants was evaluated. Adult...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Bender, M., Oliveira dos Santos Neves, N., Regina Delziovo, F. et al. 2025. Environmental enrichment with aquatic plants: Impact of the environment of choice on performance of bettas. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(4), 740–749.

Paired versus single housing of ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) does not influence experimental outcomes of influenza a virus pathogenesis studies

Social housing of animals is well recognized as a fundamental element in providing for the well-being of social animals during laboratory research activities but is contraindicated in some experimental designs. To ascertain if social housing represented a potential confounder in...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Ferret

Citation: Belser, J. A., Kieran, T. J., Truelove, M. A. et al. 2026. Paired versus single housing of ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) does not influence experimental outcomes of influenza a virus pathogenesis studies. JAALAS 65(2), 182–190.

The effects of housing temperature on mouse physiology and implications for disease modeling

Housing temperature has a critical role in preclinical research by affecting the physiological and metabolic responses of laboratory mice. Exposure to temperatures below the thermoneutral zone triggers adaptive responses, such as behavioral changes, increased energy expenditure and altered immune function,...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Bellucci, A., Baranowski, B. J., Wright, D. C. 2026. The effects of housing temperature on mouse physiology and implications for disease modeling. Lab Animal 55(4), 108–116.

Efficacy of warmed inspired air for prevention of perianesthetic hypothermia in New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Warmed inspired air circuits have proved to be effective in semiclosed heating modalities in veterinary species such as dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates, and thus, there is a gap in species requiring a nonrebreathing circuit. This study evaluated the efficacy...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Balzer, A. H., Raiciulescu, S., Fugina, W. R. et al. 2026. Efficacy of warmed inspired air for prevention of perianesthetic hypothermia in New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). JAALAS 65(1), 85–91.

Subcutaneous buprenorphine is an acceptable preoperative analgesic in pregnant ewes undergoing hysterotomy (Ovis aries)

Methodological status quo is often closely guarded in animal research because changes are seen as a threat to approaches that have proven successful. Current practices are often considered within the group as “best practice.” Perioperative analgesia is an important consideration...

Year Published: 2025Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Alaniz, S. M., Louey, S., Minnier, J. et al. 2025. Subcutaneous buprenorphine is an acceptable preoperative analgesic in pregnant ewes undergoing hysterotomy (Ovis aries). JAALAS 64(6), 1112–1120.

Environmental enrichment improves behavior and welfare in captive cockatiels

Environmental enrichment is widely used to enhance the welfare of captive animals, particularly in cognitively complex species such as parrots. This study experimentally evaluated the behavioral effects of two enrichment categories: object-based items and food-based enrichment on captive cockatiels (Nymphicus...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Aguiar, R. M., Châline, N., de Azevedo, C. S. 2026. Environmental enrichment improves behavior and welfare in captive cockatiels. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 295, 106888.

Transfer to a naturalistic setting restructures fear responses in laboratory mice

Appropriate classification of a novel stimulus as threatening or benign depends on a repertoire of prior environmental experiences involving challenge, risk, and opportunity. Without this library, individuals may classify harmless stimuli as dangerous — a hallmark of generalized anxiety. In...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Zipple, M. N., Loflin, B., Kuo, D. C. et al. 2025. Transfer to a naturalistic setting restructures fear responses in laboratory mice. Current Biology 35(24), R1175–R1176.