Humane Endpoint

A novel scoring system for humane endpoints in mice with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis

Animal-based research is essential to the study of sepsis pathophysiology, diagnostics, and therapeutics. However, animal models of sepsis are often associated with high mortality because of the difficulty in predicting imminent death based on premortem assessment of the animals. The...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane EndpointAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ferguson, L. T., Rashied, A. A., Liang, Z. et al. 2023. A novel scoring system for humane endpoints in mice with cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis. Comparative Medicine 73(6), 446–460.

Comparing variability in measurement of subcutaneous tumors in mice using 3D thermal imaging and calipers

Repeatable tumor measurements are key to accurately assessing tumor growth and treatment efficacy. A preliminary study that we conducted showed that a novel 3D and thermal imaging system (3D-TI) for measuring subcutaneous tumors in rodents significantly reduced interoperator variability across...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane EndpointAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Brough, D. W., Murkin, J. T., Amos, H. E. et al. 2022. Comparing variability in measurement of subcutaneous tumors in mice using 3D thermal imaging and calipers. Comparative Medicine 72(6), 364–375.

Studying and analyzing humane endpoints in the fructose-fed and streptozotocin-injected rat model of diabetes

This work aimed to define a humane endpoint scoring system able to objectively identify signs of animal suffering in a rat model of type 2 diabetes. Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into control and induced group. The induced animals drink...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane Endpoint, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Silva-Reis, R., Faustino-Rocha, A. I., Silva, J. et al. 2023. Studying and analyzing humane endpoints in the fructose-fed and streptozotocin-injected rat model of diabetes. Animals 13(8), 1397.

A model framework for the estimation of animal “suffering”: Its use in predicting and retrospectively assessing the impact of experiments on animals

This paper presents and illustrates, with a working example, a hypothesis for the assessment of ongoing severity before and during an experiment that will enable humane endpoints and intervention points to be applied accurately and reproducibly, as well as helping...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Humane Endpoint, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Morton, D. B. 2023. A model framework for the estimation of animal “suffering”: Its use in predicting and retrospectively assessing the impact of experiments on animals. Animals 13(5), 800.

Humane Intervention Points: Refining endpoint terminology to incorporate non-euthanasia intervention options to improve animal welfare and preserve experimental outcomes

Consideration of The Three R's (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) is essential when setting Humane Endpoints; however, a common interpretation assumes that Humane Endpoints are timepoints to perform euthanasia. This interpretation is not always consistent with the three Rs. There are...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Humane EndpointAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Williams, W. O., Baneux, P. 2022. Humane Intervention Points: Refining endpoint terminology to incorporate non-euthanasia intervention options to improve animal welfare and preserve experimental outcomes. Laboratory Animals 56(5), 482-489.

Welfare assessment, end-point refinement and the effects of non-aversive handling in C57BL/6 mice with Lewis lung cancer

Cancer-bearing mice are at risk of developing anxiety, pain, or malaise. These conditions may not only harm welfare but could also undermine data quality and translational validity in studies to develop therapeutic interventions. We aimed to establish whether, or at...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane Endpoint, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Miller, A. L., Roughan, J. V. 2021. Welfare assessment, end-point refinement and the effects of non-aversive handling in C57BL/6 mice with Lewis lung cancer. Animals 12(1), 23.

Automated monitoring of respiratory rate as a novel humane endpoint: A refinement in mouse metastatic lung cancer models

In oncology research, while xenograft tumor models are easily visualized and humane endpoints can be clearly defined, metastatic tumor models are often based on more subjective clinical observations as endpoints. This study aimed at identifying objective non-invasive criteria for predicting...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane EndpointAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Winn, C. B., Hwang, S. K., Morin, J. et al. 2021. Automated monitoring of respiratory rate as a novel humane endpoint: A refinement in mouse metastatic lung cancer models. PLOS ONE 16(9), e0257694.

Clarification of early end-points for refinement of animal experiments, with specific reference to fish

Appropriate end-points are integral to the refinement of laboratory animal experiments. Our recent experience has highlighted that ambiguity around end-points is hampering their adoption in experiments that cause severe suffering to fish. In toxicology, the term endpoint (single word) refers...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Humane Endpoint, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Ellis, T., Katsiadaki, I. 2021. Clarification of early end-points for refinement of animal experiments, with specific reference to fish. Laboratory Animals 55(3), 244-253.

Developing recommendations for cumulative endpoints and lifetime use for research animals

Research animals are important for scientific advancement, and therefore, their long-term welfare needs to be monitored to not only minimize suffering, but to provide positive affective states and experiences. Currently, there is limited guidance in countries around the world on...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Humane Endpoint, Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Nunamaker, E. A., Davis, S., O'Malley, C. I. et al. 2021. Developing recommendations for cumulative endpoints and lifetime use for research animals. Animals 11(7), 2031.

Refinement of animal model of colorectal carcinogenesis through the definition of novel humane endpoints

This study aimed to define appropriate humane endpoints (HEs) for an animal model of colorectal carcinogenesis (CRC). Twenty-nine male Wistar rats were divided into two control groups (CTRL1 and CTRL2) injected with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)–saline solutions and two induced...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Humane EndpointAnimal Type: Rat

Citation: Silva-Reis, R., Faustino-Rocha, A. I., Gonçalves, M. et al. 2021. Refinement of animal model of colorectal carcinogenesis through the definition of novel humane endpoints. Animals 11(4), 985.