ACLAM Position Statement on Adequate Veterinary Care Flashcards
Why was the ACLAM Position Statement on Adequate Veterinary Care developed?
To assist in the provision and evaluation of veterinary care for laboratory animals used, or intended for use, in research, teaching, testing or production.
ACLAM Position Statement: Who is essential in the delivery of adequate
veterinary care to laboratory animals?
A trained and experienced veterinarian
ACLAM Position Statement: Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics (PVME)
All veterinarians are expected to adhere to a progressive code of ethical conduct known as the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics (PVME), which are promulgated by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
ACLAM Position Statement: What are the aspects of veterinary authority?
Oversight of animal care and use to ensure that the program meets applicable standards for animal health and welfare
Knowledge of the current and proposed use of animals in
the institution’s research, testing, teaching, and production programs;
Application of appropriate treatment or control measures,
including euthanasia if indicated, following the diagnosis of an animal disease or injury
Consultation with researchers on animal methodologies,
surgery, and peri-surgical care
Delivery of competent professional judgment to select the most appropriate agents to alleviate pain or distress in order to assure humane treatment of animals while avoiding undue interference with experimental goals.
ACLAM Position Statement: Animal procurement and transportation
Animals must always be acquired lawfully. Veterinarians
should assist institutions in evaluating the quality of animals provided by potential vendors for suitability of use based upon research needs. Animals must be transported within and between institutions in accordance with applicable laws and
regulations. Transportation methods, equipment and vehicles should be designed to minimize adverse effects on animal health and well-being.
ACLAM Position Statement: Acclimation
Often, quarantine and acclimation programs for newly arrived animals are necessary to allow time to assess health status, allow animals to recover from the stress of shipment and provide an opportunity to adapt to the new environment.
The extent of these programs depends upon several factors,
including species and source of the animals, as well as their
intended use. For some animals, such as those species obtained from a sole reliable sources for which their health status is known, visual inspection upon arrival may suffice. For species such as nonhuman primates, farm animals, wild animals, dogs and cats, and non-specific pathogen free rabbits and rodents, appropriate quarantine procedures may need to be undertaken
for additional observations, behavioral assessments, and diagnostic testing
ACLAM Position Statement: Preventative Medicine
Preventative medicine programs (herd-health, vaccination
and disease control measures) should be in place in keeping
with the complexity of the animal care program and overall
research mission. Processes should be established to protect
animals within the institution from exposure to diseases; such
procedures may include facility design features, containment/
isolation areas, personal protective equipment, occupational
health practices and the use of standard operating procedures,
and rederivation of certain animals/strains to obtain pathogenfree research subjects.
Disease surveillance is a major responsibility of the veterinarian and should include routine monitoring of colony animals
for the presence of parasitic, bacterial and viral agents that may
cause overt or in apparent disease. The type and intensity of
monitoring necessary will depend upon professional veterinary
judgment and the species, source, use and number of animals
involved in research endeavors.
ACLAM Position Statement: Surgical Procedures
A program of adequate veterinary care includes the timely review of all preoperative, surgical and postoperative procedures
by a qualified veterinarian. The institution bears responsibility
and must assure, through authority explicitly delegated to the veterinarian or to the IACUC, that only facilities with programs appropriate for the intended surgical procedures are utilized and that personnel are adequately trained and competent to perform the procedures. The veterinarian’s inherent responsibility includes overseeing and assessing the adequacy of surgical monitoring and providing recommendations concerning presurgical procedures, surgical techniques, the qualifications of approved personnel to perform surgery and the provision of peri-operative care.
ACLAM Position Statement: Anesthesia, analgesia, and euthanasia
Written recommendations regarding the selection and use of anesthetics, analgesics, sedatives and euthanasia practices for all species used should be provided as a resource to the institution and investigators, with periodic review and revision by the
veterinarian. Euthanasia methods for animals used in research, teaching, testing and production must comply with the most current AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of animals.
ACLAM Position Statement: Animal well-being and clinical care
Adequate veterinary care includes the promotion and
monitoring of an animal’s well-being before, during, and after
experimentation or manipulation. Veterinary care measures should include adherence to the principle of refinement with respect to experimental procedures, study design, and clinical techniques. Animal well-being includes both physical and
psychological aspects of an animal’s condition and may be
evaluated in terms of environmental comfort, minimization of pain and distress, appropriate social interactions (both with
conspecifics and with man), species-typical behaviors, and
interaction with enrichment devices. Daily observation of all animals by qualified personnel
is required; there must be a timely and accurate method for conveying any information regarding animal health, behavior and well-being to the veterinarian. Medical records (described in a related ACLAM Position Statement) should be clear that treatments were done under the direction and advisement of the laboratory animal veterinarian.
Attention should also be given to preventing and/or treating
noninfectious diseases that may disrupt research or adversely Impact animal health or well-being. This may include, but is not limited to, nutritional deficiencies or toxicities, congenital defects, and unanticipated outcomes of experimental manipulation, such as genetic modification, or unintentional surgical
induction of a disease state.
Access to diagnostic laboratory services is essential to veterinary medical interpretations, establishment of differential lists, and diagnoses. Laboratory services should include necropsy,
histopathology, microbiology, clinical pathology, serology, and parasitology as well as other routine or specialized laboratory procedures, as needed. It is not necessary that these services be available within the animal facility if laboratories with appropriate capabilities are available and utilized.
