Refining rodent oral administration protocols - Exploring advantages, limitations, and recent developments

From the organizers:

"The aim of these CPD webinars (Continuing professional development) is to follow the legal requirements for maintenance and demonstration of competence in laboratory animal science, and to facilitate the implementations of the 3R’s in routine animal work.

Speaker

Dr. Paulin Jirkof works as the 3R at the University of Zurich's Office for Animal Welfare and 3R. She also chairs the Executive Board of the Swiss 3R Competence Center, is a board member of the Swiss Society for Laboratory Animal Science, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Laboratory Animal. Her research primarily focuses on refining laboratory rodent practices, with a particular emphasis on assessing and improving animal welfare.

Abstract

In drug development, a focus on oral formulations aligns with human treatment practices. Preclinical assessments demand crucial oral testing of compounds, often carried out through oral gavage in mice and rats. However, this widely used method lacks accuracy in replicating voluntary substance intake of humans, posing risks of injury and stress to laboratory rodents.

This presentation scrutinizes the pros and cons of oral gavage and explores alternative approaches, including injections, uncontrolled oral intake (e.g., via drinking water), and refined, controlled voluntary ingestion protocols. The Micropipette-Guided Drug Administration (MDA) method, employing palatable solutions like sweetened condensed milk diluted with water, will be introduced. The talk will evaluate evidence on the suitability of these alternative methods for administering various experimental substances, such as analgesics, tamoxifen or others, while prioritizing animal welfare."