|
Test |
|
Normal Response |
|
System tested |
Body condition |
|
No visible bony protruberences,
no obesity |
|
General health |
|
Respiration |
|
Barely visible |
|
Cardiopulmonary,
musculoskeletal, hematopoeitic systems |
Eyelids |
|
Wide open, clean,
no excessive lacrimation |
|
Ocular disease, central
nervous system |
|
Teeth and tongue |
|
Teeth are aligned,
tongue moves and is pink and smooth, no excessive salivation |
|
Abnormalities can
cause emaciation and death |
Skin and coat |
|
Pink mucosae, smooth
skin and intact coat |
|
Cardiopulmonary,
hematologic and dermatologic systems |
|
Body tone |
|
Slight resistance
when squeezed gently |
|
General health, nervous,
musculoskeletal, behavioural systems |
Abdominal palpation |
|
No masses, slight
resistance |
|
Intrabdominal disease,
nervous, musculoskeletal, behavioural systems |
|
Limb tone/grasping
strength |
|
Detectable tone,
strong grasp on cage wire |
|
Nervous, musculoskeletal,
behavioural systems |
Spontaneous activity |
|
Grooming, moderate
movement and exploration |
|
General health, neuromuscular
system, anxiety, fear |
|
Observation of body position |
|
Sitting or standing |
|
General health, neuromuscular
system |
Tremors |
|
None |
|
Central nervous system |
|
Circling/ataxia |
|
None |
|
Vestibular or cerebellar
disease |
Quadri/paraplegia/tail
position/gait |
|
Normal gait with
horizontally extended tail |
|
Central nervous system,
musculoskeletal system |
|
Seizures |
|
No |
|
Central nervous system |
Stereotypies |
|
No |
|
Central nervous system,
behavioural |
|
Trunk and limb position
when lifted by tail |
|
Trunk curls, limbs
splayed |
|
Central nervous system,
behavioural |
Visual placing |
|
Forearms extend to
meet cage floor when mouse is lowered by tail |
|
Visual system |
|
Forelimb wheelbarrow |
|
Forearms move normally
when hind limbs elevated by tail. |
|
Central nervous and
musculoskeletal systems |
Eye blink and ear
twitch reflexes |
|
Single eye blink,
ear retraction |
|
Cranial nerves V
and VII |
|
Toe pinch |
|
Retraction |
|
Central nervous and
musculoskeletal systems |
Righting reflex |
|
Immediately rights
when placed supine |
|
Central nervous and
musculoskeletal systems |
|
Induced biting |
|
Can be normal |
|
Behavioural |
Spontaneous biting |
|
Abnormal |
|
Behavioural |
|
Vocalization when
restrained |
|
Can be normal |
|
Behavioural |
