Publications

A new approach (CSA-Score) to assessing the cumulative overall stress load in the case of animal experiments and even beyond

In laboratory animal science, severity assessment has been mandatory by European law since 2013. Various severity assessments have been created for many single manipulations. However, when multiple harmful interventions or stressors occur simultaneously or repeatedly, the cumulative overall severity is...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Mouse, Pig, Rodent

Citation: Helmig, S., Wenzel, S. 2024. A new approach (CSA-Score) to assessing the cumulative overall stress load in the case of animal experiments and even beyond. Discover Animals 1(1), 38.

Social enrichment improves affective state and foraging behavior compared to physical enrichment, while maintaining growth performance in broiler chickens

Environmental enrichment is key for improving the broiler welfare in intensive production systems. This study lasted for 43 days and evaluated the effects of physical and social enrichment on broiler welfare. A total of 96 one-day-old male broilers were divided...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Herrera-Alcaíno, S., Luna, D., González-Pavez, J. et al. 2024. Social enrichment improves affective state and foraging behavior compared to physical enrichment, while maintaining growth performance in broiler chickens. Animals 14(22), 3186.

A novel approach for contactless heart rate monitoring from pet facial videos

Introduction: Monitoring the heart rate (HR) of pets is challenging when contact with a conscious pet is inconvenient, difficult, injurious, distressing, or dangerous for veterinarians or pet owners. However, few established, simple, and non-invasive techniques for HR measurement in pets...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Cat, Dog

Citation: Hu, R., Gao, Y., Peng, G. et al. 2024. A novel approach for contactless heart rate monitoring from pet facial videos. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

Non-invasive scalp recording of electroencephalograms and evoked potentials in unanesthetized horses using a 12-channel active electrode array

Despite the long history of the horse-human bond, our understanding of the brain and mind of horses remains limited due to the lack of methods to investigate their brain functions. This study introduces a novel methodology for completely non-invasive, multi-channel...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Imaging & Electrophysiological RecordingAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Itoh, K., Kikumura, N., Maeda, T. et al. 2024. Non-invasive scalp recording of electroencephalograms and evoked potentials in unanesthetized horses using a 12-channel active electrode array. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

Does perioperative electroacupuncture reduce postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy?

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of perioperative electroacupuncture in fifty-six healthy female dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy as part of a catch-neuter-release project. Materials and methods: Ten minutes after sedation with 20 μg/kg medetomidine combined with 0.3 mg/kg butorphanol intramuscularly,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Iwe, C., Schiele, A., Passenegg, V. et al. 2025. Does perioperative electroacupuncture reduce postoperative pain in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy? Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

A Retrospective Report of Carprofen Administration as Post-Operative Analgesia Reveals Negative Effects of Recommended Doses

Effective pain management in laboratory animals is crucial for both animal welfare and the reliability of scientific research. We retrospectively examined the effects of carprofen as post-operative analgesia in Sprague Dawley rats following stereotactic surgery. Our data indicate that administering...

Year Published: 2024Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Jäckel, Z., Adžemović, A., Kloos, B. et al. 2024. A Retrospective Report of Carprofen Administration as Post-Operative Analgesia Reveals Negative Effects of Recommended Doses. Animals 14(21), 3157.

Effects of short-term isolation on social behaviors in prairie voles

Social isolation affects the brain and behavior in a variety of animals, including humans. Studies in traditional laboratory rodents, including mice and rats, have supported the idea that short-term social isolation promotes affiliative social behaviors, while long-term isolation promotes anti-social...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Other Rodent, Rodent

Citation: Madrid, J. E., Pranic, N. M., Chu, S. et al. 2024. Effects of short-term isolation on social behaviors in prairie voles. PLOS ONE 19(11), e0313172.

Automated landmark-based cat facial analysis and its applications

Facial landmarks, widely studied in human affective computing, are beginning to gain interest in the animal domain. Specifically, landmark-based geometric morphometric methods have been used to objectively assess facial expressions in cats, focusing on pain recognition and the impact of...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Martvel, G., Lazebnik, T., Feighelstein, M. et al. 2024. Automated landmark-based cat facial analysis and its applications. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

Anticipatory behaviour during the approach to feeding times as a measure of horse welfare

Anticipatory behaviour is increasingly being recognised as a measure of animal welfare. This behaviour is linked to reward sensitivity, which reflects the balance of positive and negative experiences. This study examined anticipatory behaviour in horses fed either ad libitum or...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Mata, F., Boyton, G., Young, T. 2024. Anticipatory behaviour during the approach to feeding times as a measure of horse welfare. Animals 14(24), 3677.

Novel method to investigate thermal exchange rates in small, terrestrial ectotherms: A proof-of-concept on the gecko Tarentola mauritanica

Thermoregulating ectotherms may resort to different external heat sources to modulate their body temperature through an array of behavioural and physiological adaptations which modulate heat exchange with the environment and its distribution across the animal's body. Even small-bodied animals are...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile

Citation: Mochales-Riaño, G., Barroso, F. M., Marques, V. et al. 2024. Novel method to investigate thermal exchange rates in small, terrestrial ectotherms: A proof-of-concept on the gecko Tarentola mauritanica. PLOS ONE 19(12), e0316283.