Table 1.

Standard verse enhanced care protocol.

Standard Protocol	Enhanced Care Protocol	Difference	Potential Benefit
Soft breakfast cereal	DietGel 76A	Nutritionally balanced, irradiated	Improved nutrition, lowers risk of infection
Mouse Chow	Irradiated Chow	Irradiated	Reduces spread of pathogens
Corncob bedding	Cellulose (Carefresh) bedding	Soft on paws and eyes	Decreases injury to limbs and eyes
Unacified water	Acidified water	Limits Pseudomonas	Lowers risk of infection
Water by bottle	Hydrogel	Accessible water (on floor of cage)	Provides access if limited mobility
	Cull siblings, wean late (5-6 wk)	Increased attention and time with mother	Enhanced wellbeing, increased access to milk
	Lacrilube ointment for penile prolapse		Lowers risk of early euthanasia
	Preferred location in animal housing	Away from doors and activity benches	Decreases stress on mothers and newborns

Genotyping is typically performed between 5-12 d. All heterozygous and wild type mice are culled when results are received, and homozygous hypomorphs are kept with mother until 5-6 wk or large enough to wean (average 12.5 grams). Food, water, and bedding are changed weekly. Each cage contains 2-4 mice. DietGel is exchanged twice weekly. The animal room is Hepa-filtered. Access to hypomorph cages are restricted to 2 staff members with special care training. The colony is kept in a quiet corner away from doors and activity benches. Survival rates declined when the colony was housed next to an access door but improved when moved to a quieter area.