Fig 1.
Diagram of restraint device used for toenail trim.
A 50mL conical tube was modified by the following changes. Cutouts were made along the rim of the tube to allow seating of the mouse knee against the edge and were lightly melted to remove sharp edges. The tip of the tube was removed and lightly melted to ensure air passage as well as facilitate decontamination between uses. Approximate dimensions are shown in millimeters.
Fig 2.
Proportion of mice showing complete lesion resolution by treatment type.
Logistic regression analysis showing the proportion of all mice entering treatment that were cured rather than euthanized in the records review. Estimated means and standard errors are shown from the logistic regression (which controls for date of first treatment, and duration of treatment), P < 0.0001.
Fig 3.
Survivorship and cumulative mortality as a function of time by treatment group.
A) Kaplan-Meier survivorship plot. Survivorship is shown as the proportion of non-censored (at risk) animals surviving at each time point (rather than the proportion of all animals surviving). Cured animals are censored (i.e. removed from the total count at each time point), thus the three steps seen in the curve for toenail trim treated animals represent the individual euthanasia events for the three (out of 39) mice which were not cured. The rapid drop in survivorship at day 43 for toenail trim animals reflects the fact that only two animals remained at this timepoint (and the final animal was cured on day 49). B) Cumulative mortality, showing the raw mortality events, without the artifacts injected by Kaplan-Meier survivorship calculations.
Fig 4.
Resolution of lesion by type and as a function of time.
Repeated-measures logistic regression showing the differential resolution of Flank versus Head & Neck lesions following Toenail Trim treatment. Each mouse was scored for each type of lesion every two weeks following first diagnosis. Although head-and-neck lesions were far more common at first diagnosis, they resolved rapidly, and did not recur (despite toenail regrowth). Flank lesions did not resolve (P = 0.0004). Observed Means and Standard Errors are plotted over the logistic regression curves.
Fig 5.
Lesion resolution as a function of topical supplement selected.
Logistic regression analysis showing the proportion of all mice entering treatment that were cured rather than euthanized in the technician trial. All mice were toenail trimmed. However, depending on the veterinarian, a different topical was applied at the same time. Topical treatment had no effect on final cure rate (P = 0.6293). Estimated means and standard errors are shown from the logistic regression (which controls for date of first treatment, and duration of treatment).
Fig 6.
Lesion resolution as a function of time on treatment.
A) Kaplan-Meier survivorship plot. Cure Rate is shown as the proportion of non-censored (i.e. non-euthanized) animals surviving at each time point. Euthanized animals are censored (i.e. removed from the total count at each time point). B) Cumulative Cure Rate, showing the raw cure events, without the artifacts injected by Kaplan-Meier survivorship calculations.