Publications

Comparison of intrarenal and intravenous injections of sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia in New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Peripheral venous access in rabbits can be difficult to obtain. When failure occurs, there is a dire need for alternative vascular access routes to be available. The AVMA categorizes intrarenal injection of pentobarbital as acceptable with conditions for euthanasia. Animals...

Year Published: 2025Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: LeGrand, J. L., Ozawa, S. M., Silverstein-Metzler, M. G. et al. 2025. Comparison of intrarenal and intravenous injections of sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia in New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). JAALAS 64(4), 770–777.

Applicability of the micropipette-guided drug administration (MDA) method for assessing reward-related behaviors in mice

Oral gavage is the standard method for acute or chronic per os treatments in laboratory rodents. It can, however, induce significant stress responses and compromise the welfare of animals. To mitigate these concerns, we recently introduced the micropipette-guided drug administration...

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

Citation: Krzyzaniak, O., Steiner, S., Nilsson, F. A. M. et al. 2025. Applicability of the micropipette-guided drug administration (MDA) method for assessing reward-related behaviors in mice. Physiology & Behavior 299, 114967.

Hidden in plain sound: The scientific potential of house mouse squeaks

The house mouse (Mus musculus) is an emerging model organism for the study of vocal communication. While mice emit a diversity of calls, most publications on adult mouse vocalizations primarily focus on ultrasonic vocalizations and only a small proportion include...

Year Published: 2025Topics: VocalizationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Keesom, S. M., Leuner, L. R., Hood, K. E. et al. 2025. Hidden in plain sound: The scientific potential of house mouse squeaks. Biology Letters 21(8), 20250333.

Effects of dietary restriction on regulation of energy metabolism in male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Laboratory rats are most often fed ad libitum (AL), but dietary restriction (DR) is commonly used to provide appropriate experimental designs. The current methods of DR have shortcomings; animals are often subjected to social isolation, periods of fasting, and disturbed...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kasanen, I. H. E., Inhilä, K. J., Nevalainen, T. O. et al. 2025. Effects of dietary restriction on regulation of energy metabolism in male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). JAALAS 64(4), 744–749.

Straight from the horse’s mouth: Changes in salivary oxytocin, cortisol and behaviour in horses interacting with unfamiliar humans

Human-horse interactions can have positive outcomes for humans, but not much is known about their effects on horses. As horses are increasingly used for equine-assisted interactions and many horses interact with unfamiliar humans on a daily basis, there is a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Kapteijn, C. M., Vinke, C. M., van Lith, H. et al. 2025. Straight from the horse’s mouth: Changes in salivary oxytocin, cortisol and behaviour in horses interacting with unfamiliar humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 292, 106826.

Diet gel-based oral drug delivery system for controlled dosing of small molecules for microglia depletion and inducible Cre recombination in mice

Small molecules such as PLX5622 for microglia depletion and tamoxifen for inducible Cre recombination are commonly used in mouse research. Traditional application methods such as drug-infused chow, oral gavage or injections have limitations, including uncontrolled dosing (chow) or risk of...

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

Citation: Jovanovic, J., Stone, M. L., Dooyema, S. R. et al. 2025. Diet gel-based oral drug delivery system for controlled dosing of small molecules for microglia depletion and inducible Cre recombination in mice. Lab Animal 54(10), 278–285.

Dairy cows prefer cubicles with a 3% versus 10% slope

Cows rest 8–16 hours a day to reduce energy expenditure, optimize digestion, and promote recovery. The cubicle’s slope is crucial for cow comfort and proper positioning during rest. This study evaluated dairy cow preferences for two cubicle slopes (3% vs....

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Jannah, Z. N., Hoof, M. V., Eecke, J. V. et al. 2025. Dairy cows prefer cubicles with a 3% versus 10% slope. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 13(4), e2025028.

Quantification of sea turtle swimming patterns using a standardized arena to minimize effort in welfare assessment

Welfare assessment of captive sea turtles has become increasingly important as the need for lifelong care grows. The most valuable indicator of sea turtle welfare is behavioral assessment, as it is non-invasive and more cost-effective than other methods such as...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Inoue, N. K. 2025. Quantification of sea turtle swimming patterns using a standardized arena to minimize effort in welfare assessment. Behavioural Processes 231, 105200.

Review of depressive-like behaviours in some group-living mammals

Thanks to animal models of depression, we are getting closer to understand the nature of this disorder in humans – but depressive disorders may not be specific only to humans. Although due to the inability to collect a verbal report...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Equine, Gibbon, Lemur, Macaque, Marine Mammal, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Ilmer, I., Smoleń, T. 2025. Review of depressive-like behaviours in some group-living mammals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 292, 106753.

Blue light preconditioning as a novel strategy for reducing transport stress in zebrafish

In recent years, zebrafish have become increasingly important in experimental sciences, with transportation being a critical step in their use. However, the vibrations during transportation often induce stress responses in the fish, impairing their physiological functions and even leading to...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Huo, L., Miao, X., Zhang, X. et al. 2025. Blue light preconditioning as a novel strategy for reducing transport stress in zebrafish. Behavioural Processes 231, 105260.