Shield for topically treated animals

A method for testing the effect of a chemical substance applied to an area of the skin of a laboratory test animal comprising

• (a) fitting a protective shield around the neck of the animal in order to inhibit its preening activity;
• said protective shield comprising a soft flexible non-chafing collar piece having attached thereto a wall section of flexible sheet material forming a truncated cone extending forward and outward from said collar piece enveloping the head of the animal with the slant height of said truncated cone portion being about equal to the distance between the interparietal bones and the nasal bones of said animal,
• (b) applying the test substance over an area of the back of the animal or an area in the back of the ears of said animal,
• (c) observing the effects of the test substance on the animal at periodic intervals following application of the test substance while maintaining the protective shield in place;
• and,
• (d) while the shield is still in place, concluding the test by making a final observation to determine the dermal activity of the test substance unaffected by oral ingestion owing to the presence of the protective shield.