A recent investigation conducted by BMS scientists sheds light on an animal welfare enhancement in a commonly employed dosing procedure. For years, the use of flexible plastic feeding tubes has been recommended as an improvement over rigid metal tubes for rodent oral gavage, primarily based on anecdotal evidence. In a study presented at the October 2023 AALAS conference, new data has been introduced to substantiate this recommendation.

In the experiment, all ten C57BL/6 mice subjected to daily dosing with metal feeding needles for five consecutive days exhibited esophageal inflammation and necrosis. In stark contrast, only one out of the ten mice dosed with plastic gavage tubes displayed signs of inflammation.

The study’s authors, led by Jessica Herrod, emphasize, “In the design of research studies requiring oral gavage dosing in mice, researchers should contemplate the use of flexible polypropylene gavage needles to enhance animal welfare. Additionally, the potential for systemic inflammation and its impact on data should be taken into account when deciding on the type of gavage needle to employ.”