Donaldson-Wing, M. 2022. Medicated jelly as a replacement for injectables and the use of Maropitant to manage itchy skin in mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 21(2), 134-136.

It is desirable to administer drugs by the least invasive route to (1) optimise welfare, (2) reduce the risk of injury to animal handlers and (3) minimise the impact of restraint and transient pain on physiological and experimental readouts. Bio-Serv® Electro-Gel™ is an electrolyte-balanced hydration gel that has thermal reversing properties to enable preparation of medicated versions. We tested whether commonly used drugs provided in Electro-Gel™ would be effective and tolerated by mice as a replacement to injectable versions, and to reduce the need for handling of mice. 47/49 implanted mice readily ate medicated strawberry Electro-Gel™; the remaining 2 mice ate medicated orange Electro-Gel™, especially if Bio- Serv® Rainbow Foraging Bits were mixed in. 44/49 mice were treated with Maropitant for pruritus within the 14-day recovery period. Electro-Gel™, was an effective for providing 3 different drugs in a pain and stress-free way for singly housed mice.