Handling of
experimental animal
Dr. Sourav Maiti
MBBS, MD, DNB, MNAMS
Introductio
n
• Healthy and well being of lab animal entirely depend
almost entirely on
a. the care
b. humanity
c. watchfulness of the staff of the animal house.
1. Fluid
2. Diet
3. Cleanliness
4. Litter
5. Cages
6. Labelling of the cages
7. Ventilation
8. Temperature and Humidity
9. Handling
10. Breeding
11. Marking animals
12. The detection of signs of disease in animals
Contd
.. Taking an animal’s
1
temperature
2. Prevention of disease
3. Insect pests
4. General anesthesia
RABBI
T temperature:- 38.7 C-39.1 C Normal
Rectal
respiratory rate:- 55 per minute Pulse rate:-
135 per min
Gestation period:- 28-31 days
Weaning age:- 6-8 weeks
Mating age:- 6-9 months
Litters:- 4 yearly ; average 4 litter Room
temp:- 15.5-18.5
Humidity:- 40 -45 percent Weight
– adult:- 0.9-6.75 kg
Cages(Rabbit
)
• Cages are best made of galvanized iron.
• The minimum size for a medium sized rabbit
is 2×2×1(1/2)ft.,
• Young rabbits up to 3 months of age may be
housed together but after that time sex should be
separated.
• From 8 -10 young rabbits may be kept together in
pen similar to that used for guinea pigs.
Feeding(Rabbit)
• Pelleted diet 18 of Bruce and Parkers(1947) or commercial
breeders pellets are suitable
• Daily supply of 2.5 0z(72 gm) of a mixture of one part oats
and three parts bran may be fed as a slightly moist mash
• Green stuffs or root vegetables
• Clean drinking water
Handling(Rabbit)
• Smooth ear of the rabbit back
• pick up the ears and loose skin at the back of the neck with one
hand in a firm grip
• place the other hand under the hind quarter to support the weight
and lift gently.
• Never be lifted by ear alone
• Should be placed on a non-slippery surface
• If restraint is required during anesthesia or inoculation , should be
wrapped in a roller towel or placed in a special box.
Common
diseases(Rabbit)
• Coccidioisis (hepatic and intestinal)
• Pseudo tuberculosis
• Respiratory infections( Snuffles)
• Pneumococci
• Streptococci
• Intestinal infections( mucoid enteritis, Diarrhoea)
• Rabbit syphilis (Treponema cuniculi)
• Worms (cysticercus stage of dog tape worm, Taenia pisiformis)
Experimental
procedure(Rabbit)
• Antisera
• Anesthesia
• Scarification
• Subcutaneous inoculation
• Intra-venous inoculation
• Intra-peritoneal inoculation
• Intra-cerebral inoculation
• Intra-testicular
• Ophthalmic
• Collection of blood
Guinea
pig
• Rectal temp.:- 37.6-38.9
• Normal respiration rate:- 80 per minute
• Pulse rate:- 150 per minute
• Gestation period:- 59-72 days( avg. 63 days)
• Weaning age:- 14-21 days
• Mating age:- 12-30 weeks
• Litters:- 3 yearly ;average litter,3
• Room temp:- 18.5- 21
• Humidity:- 45%
• Weight –weaning :- 120g, adult:- 200-1000g
Cage (Guinea
pig)
• Stock runs should be abt. 4×6 ft. and 1 ft. 8 in high
• One square foot of space should be allowed for each animal
• not more than 25 animals should not be kept in any one pen.
• For expt. Animals galvanized iron cages are recommended and
sterilized.
• A convenient size of 14×9×8 in fitting in a tray 1.5 in deep
Feeding(Guinea
pig)
• A diet in pelleted form is recommended in preference to mashes.
• Diet of Bruce and Parks (1947) contains balanced proportions of
protein, fats and carbohydrate with added vitamins salt and trace
element.
• Crushed oats 2 part+ Broken bran 1 part
• Supplemented with cabbage and hay
• Necessary to add fish or meat meal.
Handling
• Place one hand across the back of the animal with thumb behind the
shoulder and the other fingers well forward on the opposite side
• Lift the animal gently and support its weight with other hand placed
palm uppermost under the hind quarters.
Common diseases(Guinea
pig)
• Pseudo tuberculosis (acute or chronic)
• Abscesses in lymphatic glands
• Respiratory tract infections
• Intestinal infections
• Protozoan disease( Coccidioisis, Toxoplasmosis)
• Viral disease
Experimental procedures(Guinea
pig)
• Anasthesia( Pentobarbitone sodium 28mg/kg-body weight)
• Subcutaneous inoculation
• Intracutaneous inoculation
• Intraperitoneal inoculation
• Collection of blood
M ic
e
• Normal temperature:- 37.4
• Pulse rate:- 120
• Estrous cycle:- 4-5 days
• Gestation period:- 19-21 days
• Weaning age:- 19-21 days
• Mating age:- 6-8 weeks
• Litters:- 8-12 yearly; average litter, 7-8
• Room temp.:- 20-21
• Humidity:- 50-60 %
• Weight- weaning : 7g ,adult:- 25-28 g
Cage(Mouse)
• Many different designs of mouse and no one pattern is the standard
• Aluminium box approx. 6×12×6 in deep with tapering side to
facilitate stacking .
• The lids are made of steel sheet or of strong wire mesh and are
designed so that hopper is built into them and
accommodation provided to hold the drinking bottle.
• The cages are light, durable and easily sterilized by dry or moist
heat.
Feeding(Mouse)
• Pelleted diets such as diet 86 of Howie(1952) or diet 41 of Bruce (1950)
are satisfactory
• Fresh water in drinking bottles must be provided
Handling(Mouse)
• An assistant takes a grip on the middle of tail of the animal with the left
hand and gently raises the hind limbs floor of the cage
• A mouse held in the position cannot turn around the bite.
• Then with the right finger and thumb a fold of skin is taken up as close as
possible to the head.
• The animal can now be lifted into convenient position for the operator to
carry out simple inoculation procedures.
• Place the animal on a rough surface and hold it by its tail with right hand,
• then pick up loose skin at the base of neck with the left forefinger
and thumb,
• lift and turn the left hand palm uppermost at the same time catching
the
tail and pressing it against the palm with the left little finger.
• The right hand is free to pick up the syringe
Common
diseases(Mouse)
• Salmonellosis
• Ectromelia ( mouse pox)
• Streptobacillus moniliformis infection
• Miscellaneous virus infection
• Worms( Taenia taenia- formis)
Experimental
•procedures(Mouse)
Anasthesia
short acting : Ether
Long acting: Pentobarbitone sodium
• Subcutaneous inoculation
• Intraperitoneal inoculation
• Intracerebral inoculation
• Intravenous inoculation
• Intranasal inoculation
• Collection of blood
THANK
YOU
