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 tubes for oral gavage in rodents has been suggested as an improved alternative to traditional rigid metal probes, mainly based on anecdotal evidence. A study presented at the October 2023 congress of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) now provides new experimental data to support this recommendation.

In the experiment, all ten Mus musculus mice of strain C57BL/6 subjected to daily administration with metal gavage needles for five consecutive days showed inflammation and necrosis of the esophagus.

In contrast, only one in ten of the mice treated with plastic gavage tubes showed signs of inflammation.

The authors of the study, led by Jessica Herrod, emphasize:

“When designing studies that require oral administration by gavage in mice, researchers should consider using flexible polypropylene gavage needles to improve animal welfare. In addition, the possible occurrence of systemic inflammation and its potential impact on experimental data should be considered when choosing the type of needle to be used.”

You can consult HERE the poster:
“Comparison of Plastic and Metal Oral Gavage Needles in C57BL/6 Mice,” by. Jessica Herrod, Jaclyn Maye, In Joong Kim, Cory Vernon, Lauren Healy, Lindsay Bates, Lisa Stanislawcyk e Michael-Anne Sowick.