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Comparative Effects of 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch Corncob Bedding on Cage Ammonia Levels, Behavior, and Respiratory Pathology of Male C57BL/6 and 129S1/Svlm Mice
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Comparative Effects of 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch Corncob Bedding on Cage Ammonia Levels, Behavior, and Respiratory Pathology of Male C57BL/6 and 129S1/Svlm Mice

Shraddha I Cantara, Uriel Blas-Machado, Xiwen Zhao, Renee H Moore, Jason P Schroeder and Vanessa K Lee
Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, v 59(6), pp 695-702
01 Nov 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-19-000152
PMID: 32878682
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7229a4View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Ammonia - toxicity Animals Behavior, Animal - drug effects Housing, Animal Male Maze Learning Mice Mice, 129 Strain Mice, Inbred C57BL Nose - pathology Species Specificity Zea mays
Corncob is a common bedding material used in laboratory rodents, but little is known about differences in the effects of the 2 available sizes on rodent models and health. This study compared the effects of these 2 corncob bedding sizes on cage ammonia levels, behavior, and respiratory pathology in mice. We hypothesized that the beddings would not differ significantly in their effects on these parameters. Two strains of male mice (C57BL/6 and 129S1/Svlm) were housed in static, filter-top cages containing 1 of the 2 bedding types for the duration of the study (12 wk). Intracage ammonia was measured during 1 wk of the study on days 0, 3, 5, and 7. Behavior was evaluated by using circadian rhythm, open field, and Morris water-maze tests. Animals were euthanized with injectable euthanasia solution to collect respiratory and ocular tissues for histopathologic lesion scoring. Animals that were euthanized immediately upon arrival from the vendor served as negative controls. Bedding size did not significantly affect behavior or ammonia levels. Average intracage ammonia levels on day 7 were 525 ppm for 1/4-in. bedding and 533 ppm for 1/8-in. bedding. Regardless of the bedding size, lesions noted in both strains of mice were of similar incidence and severity, were limited to the nose, and consisted of minimal to mild suppurative rhinitis. The eyes, trachea, and lungs were not affected. In conclusion, 1/4-in. and 1/8-in. corncob beddings have comparable effects on cage ammonia levels and the behavior and respiratory pathology in male mice of the strains tested.

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6 citations in Web of Science
6 citations in Scopus

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Veterinary Sciences
Zoology
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