NEU-11-DM Drinking Monitor System for Small Laboratory Animals

• for the investigation of drinking rate and volume
• for preference studies
• can be used with any type of animal boxes
• only the real water consumption is detected
• data can be read-out and moved with a handheld device

The DM-01 system was developed for the investigation of drinking behaviour (rate and preference) of small laboratory animals.
The DM-01 system can be tipically used in the preference tests, when the animal has the option to choose freely between two water bottles. This method allows the investigation either of the alcohol and other drug dependence or the intake of antidepressants or anxiolytics. The reduction of dependence can be measured in the first case, while the efficacy of new antidepressants or anxiolytics can be evaluated in the latter one.
There is a substantial decrease or increase in water consumption in several illnesses, like diabetes (insipidus or mellitus), fevers or inflammations. The pathological water intake is normalized with proper treatment or maintenance of these diseases. These can be simply evaluated with the measurement of water consumption rate and volume.
The equipment is robust, however, it is easy to operate. It can be used with any kind of animal boxes (even with custome-made types). The apparatus is clamped to the box or it stands on its own pins. Water consumption is measured by an ultrasonic sensor, which detects the distance between the sensor and the water surface. Due to this special design only the real decrease in water volume will be measured, licking (without water intake) or knocking the tube will not be recorded (0.01 % error). Data are stored in a memory module, which can receive signals from up to four sensors for 24 hours. For more convenient work there is not needed to establish a cable connection between the data module and a computer: recorded numbers can be read-out from the module with a handheld device then they can be imported into the Water Mater software installed anywhere in the lab or office.