Diagnoses and Treatment of Dental Disorders in a Research Colony of Macaca fascicularis: A Case Series.

During daily routine oral examinations in a research colony of nonhuman primates (NHPs, Macaca fascicularis), a variety of oral-dental lesions were identified. A dental care program was established based on these findings. Based on the presence of dental clinical signs and their severity, 31 animals were triaged to be examined and treated by a veterinarian. Clinical examination consisted of visual inspection using a periodontal probe/explorer and full or partial mouth dental radiographs. Treatment was performed during the same procedure. Some animals had a follow-up examination including radiographs months later. Four common dental diseases were diagnosed: periodontal disease, caries, tooth fracture, and tooth attrition. Less frequent were dental abscess, enamel hypomineralization, gingival hyperplasia, hypercementosis, tooth luxation, tooth dysplasia, root resorption, abrasion. Less severe periodontal disease was treated conservatively. If severely affected, teeth were extracted. Well-circumscribed caries without endodontic involvement were treated by composite restoration. Teeth with extensive caries and pulp involvement were extracted. Teeth with exposed pulp were treated via extraction or orthograde root canal treatment. In this case series, 27 (87%) of 31 NHPs exhibited at least 1 moderate to severe dental lesion that required treatment. The presumable improvement in welfare and weight of oral/dental lesions for the overall health status in research NHPs encourages us to continue this program prospectively.

Refinement of a model of repeated cerebrospinal fluid collection in conscious rats.

The cannulation of the cisterna magna in rats for in vivo sampling of cerebrospinal fluid serves as a valuable model for studying the delivery of new drugs into the central nervous system or disease models. It offers the advantages of repeated sampling without anesthesia-induced bias and using animals as their own controls. An established model was retrospectively reviewed for the outcomes and it was hypothesized that by refining the method, i.e. by (1) implementing pathophysiological-based anesthesia and analgesia, (2) using state-of-the-art peri-operative monitoring and supportive care, (3) increasing stability of the cement-cannula assembly, and (4) selecting a more adaptable animal strain, the outcome in using the model - quantified by peri-operative mortality, survival time and stability of the implant - could be improved and could enhance animal welfare. After refinement of the technique, peri-operative mortality decreased significantly (7 animals out of 73 compared with 4 out of 322; P = 0.001), survival time increased significantly (36 ± 14 days compared with 28 ± 18 days; P < 0.001), as well as the stability of the cement-cannula assembly (47 ± 8 days of adhesion compared with 33 ± 15 days and 34 ± 13 days using two other cement types; P < 0.001). Overall, the 3R concept of Russell and Burch was successfully addressed and animal welfare was improved by (1) the reduction in the total number of animals needed as a result of lower mortality or fewer euthanizations due to technical failure, and frequent use of individual rats over a time frame; and (2) improving the scientific quality of the model.