When deciding on the appropriate route of administration, the first issue that should be considered is the BAC we want to achieve. The easiest way to get high binge-like BACs is to inject ethanol. Using this method, stable high BACs are achieved in 45 min to 1 h following injection (111). Oral intubation with ethanol or an ethanol/milk mix can also produce high BACs with maximal effects 2 h post-injection (79, 80). The benefit of the oral intubation route of administration is that it is resembles the human condition – the ethanol is being consumed orally, and therefore enters the circulation through the same mechanisms through which it occurs when a human beings consumes alcohol. If moderate steady BACs are more relevant to the research question, then choosing a liquid diet or voluntary drinking model is more appropriate, as BACs between 80 and 180 mg/dl are usually achieved (55, 88–90, 122–128). However, there is more variability associated with this model, because an animal’s eating patterns may differ throughout the day and through each day of the pregnancy.
