The advantage of these animals was their small size, gentle disposition, and their anatomical features. Over time, they became synonymous with scientific research and experimentation.
In the 1920s, the breeding of domestic cavies for their research was carried out by the Pasteur Institute - this breeding provided laboratories with several thousand animals per year. These animals are used for research into treatments for cancer, hearing diseases, Alzheimer's, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, influenza, atherosclerosis, hemorrhagic fever, and many others.
Animals of the Hartley, albino, and hairless varieties are most often selected for research.
