Search Results: “Neurological research”

Pigeons and Perches

Male and female Rock Doves (pigeons) in this research facility raise their babies together in a large, open, indoor aviary. The aviary includes perches, swings, water baths, nest bowls, and foraging opportunities to stimulate the birds' natural behaviors. Parents will hatch one to three squabs (baby pigeons) on…

Socially Housed Rabbits in Tunnels

Rabbits in this research facility are socially housed in runs with paper bedding, tunnels, dividers, toys, and treats, providing them with opportunities to hop, dig, play and forage for treats.  The rabbits are identified with non-toxic ear markers that allow caregivers and researchers to track them and their…

Minipigs Foraging in Their Pen

Minipigs needed for research are fed on the floor so that they can root and forage for their feed using their snout.  They are also offered many different types of toys to help provide tactile enrichment as they enjoy sniffing, touching and manipulating objects with their snouts. And,…

Beagle Playing with Kong

Beagles have been important for many medical advancements, from understanding body systems and disease processes to the development of new medicines and treatments for both people and animals. Researchers, veterinarians and animal caregivers work together to provide for the needs of these amazing animals. Toys are provided and…

Ernest Loves His Head Scratched

Ernest is a ram and father to lambs needed for a maternal nutrition study. He lives in the same flock room as the ewes caring for their lambs so he can see, hear, and smell the other sheep.  Since he has to be separate from the female sheep, his…

Cat Kisses

Housing for these cats includes blankets, raised beds, scratching posts, and toys. The cats enjoy playing with each other and especially love visits from their caregiver.  This kitty, Midnight, likes to kiss her special person.

pooltime

Socializing with other dogs, human interaction, and playtime are very important aspects in ensuring a good environment for research dogs. This is Blake taking a dip in his pool after running around the doggie play yard with his playmates.

Peanut Taking a Break

Peanut is a dog with a naturally-occurring form of muscular dystrophy. He is resting with his research technician after a round of walking across a specially-designed floor plate that measures and records the strength of his muscles to determine whether treatments to reverse the disease are effective.

Japanese shrew

This Japanese shrew is helping to treat Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency (CSID). He eats a special diet that was also fed to his mother before he was born. He is then fasted for a time and glucose measurements are obtained in a similar way that diabetics check their own…

Immunodeficient mouse with caretaker

Immunodeficient mice, like this one, need specialized care to ensure their health is not compromised. They are important for several research areas including immunology, infectious disease, cancer, and organ transplantation.  These particular mice are bred so that they lack a thymus gland, which reduces the number of T…