Publications

Decision trees for determining the fate of laboratory animals

Facilities involved in laboratory animal research often face ethical challenges such as: what should I do with the animals that are no longer suitable for experimental purposes? One of the common answers to this question is to kill them. And...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Euthanasia, Relocation & Transport, ReproductionAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Reshetnykov, M., Stumm, K., Zwick, M. et al. 2025. Decision trees for determining the fate of laboratory animals. Laboratory Animals 59(2), 157–168.

Retrospective descriptive report comparing access systems to refine intravenous self-administration in rats

For operant self-administration, permanent intravenous cannulas need to remain open and operational for months without infections or blockages. Here, we report retrospectively on our experiences and observations using different access systems during three studies. We identified a refined method for...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Cannulation, Catheterization, & Intubation, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Lozeman-van ’t Klooster, J. G., Lesscher, H. M. 2025. Retrospective descriptive report comparing access systems to refine intravenous self-administration in rats. Laboratory Animals 59(3), 364–368.

Current research and guidelines for euthanasia in laboratory fish with a focus on fathead minnows

This paper reviews the methods and approaches used to humanely anesthetize (render unconscious) and or euthanize (kill) laboratory fish (in research settings), with a specific focus on the fathead minnow. We surveyed the literature (333 scientific studies published 2004–2021) to...

Year Published: 2025Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Lavalle, C., Clarence, S., Khan, H. et al. 2025. Current research and guidelines for euthanasia in laboratory fish with a focus on fathead minnows. Laboratory Animals 59(3), 319–331.

Playing music to animals: An interdisciplinary approach to improving our understanding of animals’ responses to music

Humans have profoundly changed the global soundscape. Studying how nonhuman animals respond to music can contribute to a better understanding of the effect of sound on animals. Animals are frequently exposed to human music, whether intentionally (for example, in laboratory...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Kriengwatana, B. P., Nager, R. G., South, A. et al. 2025. Playing music to animals: An interdisciplinary approach to improving our understanding of animals’ responses to music. Animal Behaviour 221, 123074.

Preceding sevoflurane inhalation in rats reduces the stress of intraperitoneal injection both in inexperienced experimenters and subject rats

In this study, we found that sevoflurane inhalation in rats prior to intraperitoneal injection decreased stress in both inexperienced experimenters and subject rats. Inexperienced experimenters anaesthetised male Sprague Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of anaesthetics, with or without preceding sevoflurane...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Ishibashi, H., Motohashi, H. 2025. Preceding sevoflurane inhalation in rats reduces the stress of intraperitoneal injection both in inexperienced experimenters and subject rats. Laboratory Animals 59(2), 272–275.

Insights into thermal sensitivity: Effects of elevated temperature on growth, metabolic rate, and stress responses in Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus)

The Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) is a cold-water fish with potential for aquaculture diversification. To unveil the mechanisms underlying the compromised growth in Atlantic wolffish when reared at higher temperatures, we investigated the relationship between temperature, growth rate, aerobic capacity,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Hinchcliffe, J., Roques, J. A. C., Ekström, A. et al. 2025. Insights into thermal sensitivity: Effects of elevated temperature on growth, metabolic rate, and stress responses in Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus). Journal of Fish Biology 106(1), 61–74.

Housing and husbandry factors affecting zebrafish novel tank test responses: A global multi-laboratory study

The reproducibility crisis in bioscience, characterized by inconsistent study results, impedes our understanding of biological processes. Global collaborative studies offer a unique solution to this problem. Here, we present a global collaboration using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) novel tank test,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Hillman, C., Fontana, B. D., Amstislavskaya, T. G. et al. 2025. Housing and husbandry factors affecting zebrafish novel tank test responses: A global multi-laboratory study. Lab Animal 54(6), 156–164.

Current practices of pain assessment and analgesic use in laboratory mice: A 2022 FELASA Working Group survey

Assessing and alleviating pain in animals involved in research is critically important. However, the effective implementation of pain management depends on the knowledge and attitudes of the personnel involved. Following a Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations ‘Pain in...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gomez de Segura, I. A., Seeldrayers, S., Flecknell, P. 2025. Current practices of pain assessment and analgesic use in laboratory mice: A 2022 FELASA Working Group survey. Laboratory Animals 59(3), 396–412.

A computational model to support the welfare-based management of a laboratory colony of common marmosets

Here, a computational model to forecast the population dynamics of a laboratory colony of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) is presented. This tool supports decision-making that seeks to maximize welfare and maintain a healthy and genetically diverse colony. The model considers...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Gillard, J. J. 2025. A computational model to support the welfare-based management of a laboratory colony of common marmosets. Lab Animal 54(5), 120–125.

An adaptable, user-friendly score sheet to monitor welfare in experimental fish

Fish are increasingly used as experimental animals across research fields. Currently, around a quarter of all experimental animals used are fish. Less than 20% of these are standard model species. Welfare assessments for experimental fish are in their infancy compared...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Shark & Ray, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Flueck-Giraud, M., Schmidt-Posthaus, H., Bergadano, A. et al. 2025. An adaptable, user-friendly score sheet to monitor welfare in experimental fish. Laboratory Animals 59(2), 226–241.