This video was presented at the AALAS Demo Days in February of 2025.
Stainless Steel vs. Flexible Plastic Feeding Tubes
Stainless steel feeding tubes have historically been the traditional delivery method of oral gavage in rodents. The needles are reusable, making them cheaper in the long run. However, they are rigid which can lead to esophageal trauma, opaque which makes visualization of the compound delivery difficult, and they require cleaning after each use which costs time and introduces the opportunity for compound crossover. 
Flexible plastic feeding tubes, on the other hand, are much friendlier on the animal, reducing the risk of esophageal trauma (an animal welfare refinement!), translucent, disposable, and easier for training new technicians. These advantages do come with a cost as they can be more expensive than stainless steel, and if technicians are used to the stainless steel technique some retraining may be required. Ranging from 25mm and 22ga to 150mm and 13ga, there is a flexible plastic feeding tube size to meet any rodent research requirement.
A 2023 study by Bristol Meyers Squibb concluded that, compared to flexible plastic, metal ball tipped gavage needles caused esophageal inflammation and necrosis in C57BL/6 mice undergoing daily dosing and as a result researchers who require oral gavage dosing should consider using flexible polypropylene gavage needles to improve animal welfare.
Rodent Dose Puller
Designed for large-scale oral gavage studies, the Rodent Dose Puller automatically fills syringes, saving time, increasing accuracy, and reducing injury. Simple to use, the device receives the dose information directly through a LIMS connection, CSV file, or through manual entry, then precisely fills the syringe to the desired level while the technician retrieves the animal, presenting a fully filled syringe ready for dosing. When the empty syringe is placed back in the device, the machine automatically refills the syringe for you. The RDP is compatible with 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20ml syringes and feeding tubes ranging from 22ga to 13ga with adjustable fill speeds for viscous or frothy solutions.
