SANS Tail Flick Test

The Tail Flick Test is a high-precision analgesia meter designed to measure pain sensitivity and nociceptive thresholds in rats and mice. This system applies an infrared thermal stimulus to the rodent’s tail; when the animal perceives discomfort, it reacts with a characteristic “tail flick.” The latency time between stimulus and reaction is automatically recorded, providing a reliable index of pain response and analgesic drug efficacy.

The Tail flick test is used to measure the nociceptive threshold and variation to infrared heat stimulus on the rat or mouse tail. Basically, a thermal stimulus is applied on the tail of the rodent; when the animal feels discomfort, it reacts by a sudden tail movement. The tail flick reaction time is then measured and used as an index of animal pain sensitivity. Science adopts the IR technology in the thermal stimulus.