Broome Rodent Restrainers – Conduct Science

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Description

Dimensions

Description	Dimensions	Price
Broome Rodent Restrainer 15 – 30gr	1’’ diam x 3.375’’ long	$69
Broome Rodent Restrainer 30 – 70gr	1.25’’ diam x 4.5’’ long	$75
Broome Rodent Restrainer 70 – 125gr	1.5’’ diam x 5.5’’ long	$80
Broome Rodent Restrainer 125 – 250gr	2’’ diam x 8’’ long	155
Broome Rodent Restrainer 250 – 500gr	2.5’’ diam x 8.5’’ long	170
Broome Style Rodent Restrainer 500 – 800gr	3.5’’ diam x 9’’ long

Information

Broome Rodent Restrainer is one of the most convenient types of restrainer for ease of use as it allows for both hands to be used when injecting the test subjects caudal vein. Our Broome restrainer is made up of the finest quality acrylic and comes in a variety of sizes. Choosing the right size of the restraint is vital; if the restraint is too large the animal can easily turn around, and if the restraint is too small the animal might not be able to breathe properly.

Broome rodent restrainer is a cylindrical device that is closed on one end. An open groove extends from the opening to the center of the endplate for the adjustment of the nosepiece. On the adjacent side of the open groove, a slit that runs the entire length of the tube aids to get access to the rodent’s tail.

Broome Rodent Restrainer is one of the most convenient types of restrainer when the ease of the experiment is in question; the experimenter can use both his/her hand when injecting the caudal vein. Our Broome restrainer is made up of the finest quality acrylic and comes in a variety of sizes. Choosing the right size of the restraint is vital; if the restraint is too large the animal can easily turn around, and if the restraint is too small the animal might not be able to breathe properly.

First, the nosepiece should be removed from the body of the Broome-style restrainer by loosening the screw. Position the restrainer so that the slit that runs the entire length of the tube is facing up. Hold the subject by the base of the tail and gently introduce the subject into the restraint device.

Note: Hind limbs should be introduced first. Furthermore, it is always beneficial to place the animal on a smooth surface to expedite its placement into the Broome-style restrainer.

Once the subject is introduced securely, the nosepiece is placed in the groove and tightened so that the open end is sealed. Ideally, the nose of the subject should be projected at the center of the nosepiece. Caution: To avoid suffocation caused to the subject, the nosepiece should not be over-tightened.

Our Broome style restrainer is exceptionally advantageous:

Minimum handling is required; once the subject is secured, the experimenter can simply immerse the tail in warm water for vasodilation.
Minimum stress evoked in subjects; the Broome style handler calms the animals as they will not try hard to escape as an escape is blocked.
The cylindrical design impedes the movement of the rodents once they are safely secured within the restrainer.
Equally favorable for injection delivery and blood sampling techniques.

Documentation

Proper handling and management of experimental animals is an important aspect of various research procedures. Minimal handling, such as cage changing and other noninvasive procedures have been found to cause physiological manifestations of stress in rodents, including elevated heart rate and blood pressure levels (Stewart and Schroeder., 2017). Given that prolonged effects of stress can influence research outcomes, it is imperative that researchers are equipped with the right knowledge, training, and tools for proper animal handling and restraint methods.

The Broome restrainer is one of many types of restraint devices that provide a tightly enclosed fit around the rodent, designed to give access to the tail for intravenous injections. The Broome handler is a cylindrical device that is closed on one end, with an open groove extending from the open end to the center of the endplate for the adjustment of the nosepiece.

A slit runs the entire length of the tube, serving to accommodate the rodent’s tail. Injecting the rodent through the caudal vein usually requires more than one pair of hands to hold the animal down and to secure the area for injection, but the Broome restrainer successfully addresses this commonly-faced difficulty through its novel design. The restraint devices such as the Broome handler are useful for injections and blood sample collection.

Apparatus and Equipment

The Broome restrainer is a cylindrical, close-fitting restraint device made from fine quality acrylic that comes in different sizes to accommodate different rodent types. The device is transparent and closed on one end, with a slit running the entire length of the tube, giving access to the rodent’s tail. An open groove on the cylinder extends from the opening to the center of the endplate, to fix the adjustable nose piece in place.

Choosing the right size of the restraint is vital; if the restraint is too large the animal can easily turn around, and if the restraint is too small the animal might not be able to breathe properly.

Protocol

In the usage of Broome restrainer, it is important to prepare the correctly-sized device for each rodent. An appropriate fit would prevent the animal from fidgeting easily or turning around but is loose enough to allow the animal to breathe properly.

Note: Hind limbs should be introduced first. Furthermore, it is always beneficial to place the animal on a smooth surface to expedite its placement into the Broome-style restrainer.

Once the subject is introduced securely, the nosepiece is placed in the groove and tightened so that the open end is sealed. Ideally, the nose of the subject should be projected at the center of the nosepiece. Caution: To avoid suffocation caused to the subject, the nosepiece should not be over-tightened.

Applications

The use of the right techniques in the proper handling of mice and rats is a necessity to minimize the effects of stress and discomfort on research outcomes such as fluctuations in physiological parameters. Rigid restraint devices are practical tools that make animal handling easier, safer, and more trouble-free. The Broome style handle, in particular, is designed to provide convenient access to the rodent’s tail for intravenous injections as well as blood sample collection. Modified Broome handlers have found many applications, such as in the monitoring of fetal breathing movements through abdominal ultrasound measurements in rats (Kobayashi et al., 2001), development of rodent models for intraocular pressure fluctuations in patients with glaucoma (Joos et al., 2010), injections through the lateral tail vein (Dorsey et al., 2009), and the regulation of restraint stress (Seifi et al., 2014; Jamieson et al., 2016).

Strengths and Limitations

– The Broome restrainer is one of many types of restraint devices that provide a tightly enclosed fit around the rodent, designed to give access to the tail for intravenous injections

– The Broome restrainer is a cylindrical, close-fitting restraint device made from fine quality acrylic that comes in different sizes to accommodate different rodent types

– The device is closed on one end, with an open groove extending from the open end to the center of the endplate for the adjustment of the nosepiece, and a slit runs the entire length of the tube, serving to accommodate the rodent’s tail

– Restraint devices such as the Broome restrainer are useful for injections and blood sample collection

– Choosing the right size of the restraint is vital; if the restraint is too large the animal can easily turn around, and if the restraint is too small the animal might not be able to breathe properly

References

Karen M. Joos, Chun Li, Rebecca M. Sappington. (2010). Morphometric Changes in the Rat Optic Nerve Following Short-term Intermittent Elevations in Intraocular Pressure. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Vol.51, 6431-6440
Kay Stewart, Valerie A. Schroeder. University of Notre Dame. (2017). Rodent Handling and Restraint Techniques. Retrieved from https://www.jove.com/science-education/10221/rodent-handling-and-restraint-techniques
Koichi Kobayashi, Robert P. Lemke, John J. Greer. (2001). Ultrasound measurements of fetal breathing movements in the rat. Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 91 no. 1, 316-320
Mohsen Seifi, James F. Brown, Jeremy Mills, Pradeep Bhandari, Delia Belelli, Jeremy J. Lambert, Uwe Rudolph and Jerome D. Swinny. (2014). Molecular and Functional Diversity of GABA-A Receptors in the Enteric Nervous System of the Mouse Colon. Journal of Neuroscience, 34 (31) 10361-10378
Pauline M. Jamieson, Chien Li, Christina Kukura, Joan Vaughan, Wylie Vale. (2016). Urocortin 3 Modulates the Neuroendocrine Stress Response and Is Regulated in Rat Amygdala and Hypothalamus by Stress and Glucocorticoids. Endocrinology, 147 (10): 4578-4588
Susan G. Dorsey, Carmen C. Leitch, Cynthia L. Renn, Sherrie Lessans, Barbara A. Smith, Xiao M. Wang, Raymond A. Dionne. (2009). Genome-Wide Screen Identifies Drug-Induced Regulation of the Gene Giant Axonal Neuropathy (Gan) in a Mouse Model of Antiretroviral-Induced Painful Peripheral Neuropathy. Biol Res Nurs, 11(1): 7–16.

Additional information

Size	15-30g, 30-70g, 70-125g, 125-250g, 250g.-500g

Broome Rodent Restrainer Dimensions