Plantar Test (Hargreaves method) with heated glass

Description

The IITC Plantar Test Analgesia Meter is a specialized device for conducting the Hargreaves method of thermal nociception testing. It is primarily used to assess pain sensitivity and analgesic drug effects in rodents such as mice and rats, though it can be adapted for use with other small animals like rabbits. The apparatus generates a beam of visible light focused on the plantar surface of an animal's hind paw, and an electronic timer records the latency to paw withdrawal. A central component of this system is its heated glass floor. This platform is maintained at a constant, preset temperature to ensure the animal's paw starts from a stable thermal baseline, which minimizes experimental variability caused by ambient temperature differences. This design enhances the reproducibility of data in studies of thermal hyperalgesia and analgesia screening.