Identification of Sick or Dead Mice () Housed with 6 Grams of Crinkle Paper Nesting Material.

Although nesting material is beneficial to the welfare of laboratory mice, provision of appropriate amounts may impair visualization of the mice. In anticipation of our academic research institution transitioning to providing 6 grams of nesting material to all mice, we conducted a 2-step prospective epidemiologic study to 1) evaluate whether 0, 2, or 6 grams of nesting material alters the ability to identify sick or dead mice, and 2) evaluate the number and severity of health concerns identified in the presence of 6 grams of crinkle paper nesting material at cage-side health check as compared with cage change. Animal Treatment Reports (ATRs) and death incidences were collected across a variety of research and breeding uses.

Contrasting serum biomarker profiles in two Colombian populations with different risks for progression of premalignant gastric lesions during chronic Helicobacter pylori infection.

Background: Colombians in coastal Tumaco have a lower incidence of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric cancer compared to individuals from Tuquerres in the high Andes. This is despite nearly universal prevalence of H. pylori infection and chronic gastritis.

Effects of Trio and Pair Breeding of Mice on Environmental Parameters and Nasal Pathology and Their Implications for Cage Change Frequency.

According to the , cage change frequencies must be considered when cage density requirements are exceeded. We monitored ammonia, carbon dioxide, cage wetness, health status, and breeding parameters of trio and pair breeding cages containing CD1 mice in ventilated and static microisolation caging (4 cages per condition) daily for approximately 6 wk. Minimum cage change frequencies for each condition were determined on the basis of performance data.

Enrichment Preferences of Singly Housed Zebrafish ().

Despite the increasing popularity of zebrafish () as an animal model, the environmental enrichment preferences of this species have been largely unexplored. We sought to determine the preferences of mature female zebrafish that were singly housed with or without access to one of 10 inanimate forms of enrichment. As a marker of preference, in-tank fish location was observed by video recording.

A Review of Pain Assessment Methods in Laboratory Rodents.

Ensuring that laboratory rodent pain is well managed underpins the ethical acceptability of working with these animals in research. Appropriate treatment of pain in laboratory rodents requires accurate assessments of the presence or absence of pain to the extent possible. This can be challenging some situations because laboratory rodents are prey species that may show subtle signs of pain.

Assessment of Mouse Handling Techniques During Cage Changing.

Mouse handling during cage changing and health evaluation has traditionally been performed by using forceps. This method was adopted as a biosecurity measure but can adversely affect employee ergonomics and rodent behavior. In this study, we evaluated alternative methods of rodent handling and their potential implications for efficiency, biosecurity, and animal welfare.

Analgesic Efficacy and Hematologic Effects of Robenacoxib in Mice.

NSAID analgesics may confound models that require inflammation to mimic disease development in humans. This effect presents a challenge for veterinary staff and investigators, because surgery is often necessary to create mouse models of disease and NSAID are first-line analgesics used to treat postoperative pain. We evaluated robenacoxib, a NSAID highly selective for cyclooxygenase 2, in a carrageenan paw edema (CPE) assay and surgical model of venous thrombosis (VT).

Using Cageside Measures to Evaluate Analgesic Efficacy in Mice () after Surgery.

Recent studies have revealed some of the most frequently used analgesics in mice are not effectively treating postoperative pain. Our laboratory sought to compare and assess the validity and reliability of 2 cageside pain assessments that we recently developed for use in mice-nesting consolidation and grooming transfer tests. We then applied these tests to compare the efficacy of commonly used analgesics-buprenorphine (0.

Evaluation of Pain Assessment Techniques and Analgesia Efficacy in a Female Guinea Pig () Model of Surgical Pain.

Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are a frequently used species in research, often involving potentially painful procedures. Therefore, evidence-based recommendations regarding analgesia are critically needed to optimize their wellbeing. Our laboratory examined the efficacy of carprofen and extended-release (ER) buprenorphine, alone and as a multimodal combination, for relieving postsurgical pain in guinea pigs.

Validation of a Behavioral Ethogram for Assessing Postoperative Pain in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus).

Although guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) have been used in research for more than a century and remain the most prevalent USDA-covered species, little has been elucidated regarding the recognition of clinical pain or analgesic efficacy in this species. We sought to assess pain in guinea pigs by using newer, clinically relevant methods that have been validated in other rodent species: the behavioral ethogram and cageside proxy indicator. In this study, 10 male guinea pigs underwent electronic von Frey testing of nociception, remote videorecording of behavior, and cageside assessment by using time-to-consumption (TTC) of a preferred treat test.

Gastric colonisation with a restricted commensal microbiota replicates the promotion of neoplastic lesions by diverse intestinal microbiota in the Helicobacter pylori INS-GAS mouse model of gastric carcinogenesis.

Objectives: Gastric colonisation with intestinal flora (IF) has been shown to promote Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-associated gastric cancer. However, it is unknown if the mechanism involves colonisation with specific or diverse microbiota secondary to gastric atrophy.

Design: Gastric colonisation with Altered Schaedler's flora (ASF) and Hp were correlated with pathology, immune responses and mRNA expression for proinflammatory and cancer-related genes in germ-free (GF), Hp monoassociated (mHp), restricted ASF (rASF; 3 species), and specific pathogen-free (complex IF), hypergastrinemic INS-GAS mice 7 months postinfection.

Castration eliminates conspecific aggression in group-housed CD1 male surveillance mice (Mus musculus).

Microbiologic surveillance is essential for murine health maintenance. At our institution, female progeny of inhouse-bred CD1 mice are used in both the transgenic facility and health-surveillance program. To reduce overall animal use, the male progeny, otherwise slated for euthanasia due to a lack of utility, also were enrolled as sentinels.

Prevalence of murine Helicobacter spp. Infection is reduced by restocking research colonies with Helicobacter-free mice.

Most academic research colonies of mice are endemically infected with enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. (EHS). We evaluated EHS prevalence in surveillance mice before and after a 10-y period of requiring that imported mice be free of EHS by embryo transfer rederivation or purchase from approved vendors.

Lack of commensal flora in Helicobacter pylori-infected INS-GAS mice reduces gastritis and delays intraepithelial neoplasia.

Background & Aims: Transgenic FVB/N insulin-gastrin (INS-GAS) mice have high circulating gastrin levels, and develop spontaneous atrophic gastritis and gastrointestinal intraepithelial neoplasia (GIN) with 80% prevalence 6 months after Helicobacter pylori infection. GIN is associated with gastric atrophy and achlorhydria, predisposing mice to nonhelicobacter microbiota overgrowth. We determined if germfree INS-GAS mice spontaneously develop GIN and if H pylori accelerates GIN in gnotobiotic INS-GAS mice.

Association of expiratory airway dysfunction with marked obesity in healthy adult dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of obesity on pulmonary function in healthy adult dogs.

Animals: 36 Retrievers without cardiopulmonary disease.

Procedures: Dogs were assigned to 1 of 3 groups on the basis of body condition score (1 through 9): nonobese (score, 4.

Restrained whole body plethysmography for measure of strain-specific and allergen-induced airway responsiveness in conscious mice.

The mouse is the most extensively studied animal species in respiratory research, yet the technologies available to assess airway function in conscious mice are not universally accepted. We hypothesized that whole body plethysmography employing noninvasive restraint (RWBP) could be used to quantify specific airway resistance (sRaw-RWBP) and airway responsiveness in conscious mice. Methacholine responses were compared using sRaw-RWBP vs.