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Behavioral, clinical and pathological effects of multiple daily intraperitoneal injections on female mice

Lab Animal volume 43, pages 131–139 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Pharmacological agents are commonly administered to mice through multiple intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections. The i.p. route of administration is usually considered safe, but questions of animal welfare arise when protocols require that multiple injections be given to the same animal. IACUCs must consider the potential risks associated with multiple i.p. injections in order to determine the maximum number of injections an animal can receive within a study protocol, but there are no published studies of such potential risks. The authors investigated the effects of 30 daily i.p. saline injections on the behavior, body condition, weight, fecal corticosterone levels, hematology and pathology of female adult mice. Results indicate that multiple i.p. injections do not cause any ill effects in mice.

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Figure 1: Mean body weights of control mice, mice undergoing needle puncture (NP) and mice undergoing saline injection (SI).
Figure 2
Figure 3: Normal abdominal wall of a control mouse (stained with H&E) with no significant lesions.
Figure 4: A mesothelial hyperplasia with minimal neutrophilic inflammation (asterisks) in the abdominal wall of a mouse undergoing needle puncture (stained with H&E).
Figure 5: Focal epidermal hyperplasia with a linear tract of dermal inflammation extending into panniculus (circle) in the abdominal wall of a mouse undergoing needle puncture (stained with H&E).

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Biomarkers Core Laboratory at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, which is supported by a Yerkes National Primate Research Center Base Grant, for providing assay services. We also thank Rebeccah Hunter, Cherie Lawley, Karen Lieber and Kristy Weed of the Division of Animal Resources at Emory University for their technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Animal Resources, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

    Jennifer N. Davis &  Douglas K. Taylor

  2. Division of Pathology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

    Cynthia L. Courtney

  3. Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA

    Hillary Superak

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Correspondence to Douglas K. Taylor.

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Davis, J., Courtney, C., Superak, H. et al. Behavioral, clinical and pathological effects of multiple daily intraperitoneal injections on female mice. Lab Anim 43, 131–139 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.433

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