Table 7 Effects of subcutaneous injection and prior handling by tail or tunnel on voluntary interaction with the handler.

From: Improving the practicality of using non-aversive handling methods to reduce background stress and anxiety in laboratory mice

Voluntary interaction

Before 1st injection

After 1st injection

After 5th injection

Handling method

z = 5.41

P < 0.0001

z = 5.34

P < 0.0001

z = 5.41

P < 0.0001

Injection vs control pick up

z = 1.27

P = 0.21

z = 0.23

P = 0.84

z = 0.53

P = 0.53

Comparison between time points

Tail, control pick up

χ2 = 1.42

P = 0.49

    

Tail, injection

χ2 = 8.60

P = 0.014

    

Tunnel, control pick up

χ2 = 2.60

P = 0.27

    

Tunnel, injection

χ2 = 0.67

P = 0.72

    
  1. Mice were picked up briefly by their assigned handling method (tail or tunnel) for 10 days prior to treatment. Half the mice were then assigned to either control pick up by their assigned method or pick up, scruff restraint and subcutaneous injection, repeated on 5 days. Voluntary interaction was assessed immediately before and after handling in the 10th handling session, 1 week after first subcutaneous injection or control pick up, and one week after 5th subcutaneous injection or control pick up. The proportion of test time interacting voluntarily with the handler was averaged for tests conducted immediately before and after handling by the assigned handling method at each time point (data shown in Fig. 4A). Mann-Whitney tests assessed differences in averaged voluntary interaction between handling methods and between injection versus control pick up at each time point. Repeated measures nonparametric Friedman tests compared response across the 3 time points for each treatment group. Only mice picked up by tail showed significantly reduced interaction following experience of injection. Significant effects (P < 0.05) are in bold.