Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Rectal prolapse RP is a common clinical condition in mice, that does not have a recognized or documented standard of care. At our institution, an average of mice develop RP each year. Our practice has been to recommend euthanasia upon identifying a RP based on its appearance as a painful or distressful condition.
This study aimed to assess treatment options that would maintain the RP mucosa and allow mice to reach their study endpoint, and to evaluate the perception of this condition as a painful or distressful event. This study used mice with spontaneous RP, concurrently assigned to ongoing research protocols. Mice were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: petroleum jelly, lidocaine jelly, or no treatment. Fecal samples were collected for pathogen testing, and all mice received an initial base score, followed by weekly blind scores.
Upon euthanasia, RP tissue was collected for histopathology. No statistically significant differences were detected between the 3 treatment groups based on gross mucosal health, pain and distress, or histopathology.
In this study, none of the mice in any group were euthanized based on the RP endpoint scoring criteria. These findings demonstrate that treatment is unnecessary for RP, and mice with RP did not show signs of pain or distress. In adherence to the 3Rs, this study supports animal number reduction and clinical refinement, allowing mice with RPs to reach their intended research study endpoints or produce additional litters.
Rectal prolapse RP in mice is a common clinical condition Currently, the laboratory animal medicine community has no generally accepted or documents standard of care for managing mice with RP. Institutional practices vary and typically consist of no treatment, applying lubrication to the RP mucosa, dextrose to reduce RP, surgical correction, or euthanasia. In larger animals, such as sheep, horses, nonhuman primates, cats, and dogs, surgical correction of a RP is often successful.
