Animal Management Flashcards
What are the main types of animals used in lab research?
Mice
Fish
Birds
Rats
Cruelty to animals act 1876
Protects animals and controls research - no longer in action, replaced by A(SP)A 1986
Social contract & animal research
Harm to animals prohibited by animal welfare act 2006
Special laws empower certain people to carry out animal harms
Concordat - openness on animal research
- Clear about how and why we use animals
- Communicate with media and public
- Provide opportunities for the public to find out about research
- Report progress annually
A(SP)A
Grants scientists a temporary legal immunity from animal welfare act
Research must not brag ASPA conditions
Laws for animal research
Animal welfare act 2006
Veterinary surgeons act 1996
The animal for scientific procedures Act (ASPA) 1986
Animal welfare act 2006
- if any harm is caused to the animal
- suffering is unnecessary
- if it could have been avoided
Veterinary surgeons act 1966
Grants vets a temporary legal immunity from prosecution for causing harm or potential harm to animals
What does the The animal for scientific procedures act (ASPA) 1986 do?
Protects animals bred and used for research
- what animals are protected
- what is a scientific procedure
- licenses for people the work
- roles of those involved
- training requirements
- sources, care of & killing of animals
What are the protected animals for research?
All living vertebrates, except man
All cephalopods
(Maybe decapods)
What is a regulated procedure?
Any procedure that may cause pain suffering distress or lasting harm
Scientific purpose must have a project license
What type of licences fall under ASPA 1986?
Establishment
Personal
Project
What is the ASPA establishment license ?
Lists named persons at research site
What facilities are available
Designates rooms with specific uses - stocking density, environmental conditions etc
What is the ASPA personal licence ?
Permission to carry out specific regulated procedures
Training record to document competency
MUST have a PIL to work under a PPL and the ASPA
What animals are given additional protection?
Non human primates
Dogs
Cats
Horses
Because of the social contract - people have humanised them
Need more justification to do the research on these species
What are the 5 main categories of the ASPA personal licence?
A: procedures in conscious animal
B: procedures with brief anaesthetics
C: surgical procedures & anaesthetics over 15 mins
D: surgical procedures with neuromuscular blocking agents
E: specific procedures under one project
ASPA project licence:
How long valid for?
Reviewed by who?
Must follow what?
Valid for 5 years
Reviewed by AWERB and home office
Must follow the 3Rs
What is covered in an ASPA project licence ?
- project licence holder
- places
- scientific background
- plan of work (justifying protocols, 3Rs, special species)
- protocols
What research is allowed?
Basic scientific research
Translational or applied research
Development or safety testing of products
Protection of natural environment
Research to preserve species
Higher education training
Forensic enquiries
What research is NOT allowed?
Research on great apes (banned 1986)
Cosmetics (banned 1998)
Use of endangered species
4 main severity categories for procedures
- Non recovery (anaesthetised at start and euthanised at end)
- Mild (no significant impairment to wellbeing; short term mild pain suffering distress; insertion of hypodermic needle)
- Moderate (short term moderate psdlh; moderately impairment to wellbeing; any act of surgery)
- Severe (severe or long lasting psdlh; severe impairment to wellbeing)
What clinical signs can be used for signs of pain and reaching limits and human endpoints?
Weight
BCS
Piloerection
Behaviour
Hunching
Mucous membranes
Application of the 3Rs
- Replace (explored alternative options)
- Reduce (minimise number of animals used)
- Refine (pain relief, enrichment, most refined approach)
Laboratory animal management
Five freedoms met as much as possible
Specific guidelines in the code of practice
Ensure good enrichment and good health
Who reviews the project licence?
AWERB (& home office)
Who makes up the AWERB panel?
Researcher
Personal licence holder
Statistician
Names vet surgeon
Surgical technicians
Named animal care and welfare officer
Lay member
What does the AWERB researcher do?
Specialist knowledge
Reviewing:
- justification
- plans
- statistical validity
- viability of alternatives
What does AWERB named vet do?
Experienced in multiple projects
Should have carried out their own research
Review:
- surgical and anaesthesia protocols
- human endpoints
- potential risks
- appropriate severity is applied
What does an AWERB named animal care officer do?
Experienced in husbandry for apt species
Review:
- suitability of housing
- clear endpoints
- assess adverse effects
- maintains welfare without hitting severity limit
Humane euthanasia under ASPA
All personnel should know how to do a Sch1 euthanasia = overdose of GA
What are the five freedoms?
Freedom from pain and disease
Freedom from hunger and thirst
Freedom to express natural behaviour
Freedom from fear and distress
Freedom from discomfort
Type of Lab animal environments
Biosecurity:
germ free / no pathogens
SOPF
SPF
- these will be housed in IVC (individual cages)
conventional - exposed to everything
Types of snakes
Colubrids (corn / milk snake)
Boids (boa and pythons)
Viperids (vipers / rattle snakes)
Elapids (cobras)
Types of lizards
Geckos (crested, leopard)
Agamids (bearded dragon)
Iguana (green)
Monitors (savannah)
Skinks (blue tongued)
Chameleons (veiled, panther)
Types of chelonians
Tortoises (med, Greek)
Terrapins
Box turtles
How to sex a snake ?
Probe or everting the hemipenes - 6-15 scales MALE
2-6 scales Female
Boids have spurs at the vent - large in males
What to be aware of when handling lizards?
Autotomy (tail falls off)
How do chill out a lizard if stressed?
Vaso-vagal reflex
Apply gentle pressure to both eyeballs
Stimulates autonomic NS to reduce HR BP AND RR
What zoonotic risk comes from handling reptiles?
Salmonella spp
How to sex a lizard?
Some are sexually dimorphic
Males - large crest and dewlaps or prominent pre-femoral pores or hemipenal bulge at base of tail
Females - swollen calcium stores (geckos)
Where should you hold the shell of a Chelonian?
Femoral fossae
How to sex a chelonian
Males:
Longer tails
Distal vent
Concave plastron
Eastern box turtles - males red iris / females yellow iris
How do reptiles regulate their body temperature?
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
Evaporation
What is the preferred optimum temperature zone?
Temp range which physiological processes function best
How should the preferred optimum temperate zone be for reptiles?
Temperature gradient - horizontal and/or vertical
Basking area at warm end
What heat sources do reptiles need?
Primary and secondary heat source
Heat may
Heat lamp
Thermostat to control temp
How to provide humidity?
Damp substrate
Spraying / misting
Water features
Water bowls on heat pads
(Ventilation shouldn’t be compromised)
What can low humidity cause?
Renal failure in iguanas
Dysecdysis in snakes and lizards
What can excessive humidity cause?
Bacterial and fungal dermatitis
How do reptiles uptake vitamin D?
Herbivore lizards and tortoises have poor uptake of vitamin D
Vitamin d removed from skin and stored in liver then to kidneys to be metabolised into vitamin d3
What type of UV should bulbs provide?
UV B
What distance should uv bulbs be placed in basking areas?
Within 30-45 cms
How often should you replace uv bulbs?
6-12months
What effect does UV A have in reptiles?
Behavioural effects
Where should UV lamps and heat lambs be placed?
Together!
How far should uv lamps be placed?
Within 6 inches
Substrate for reptiles
Newspaper
Soil leaf litter
Large bark chips (not cedar)
Sand
Why do females need access to suitable substrate?
Oviposition
Why is photoperiod important to reptiles?
For breeding
- seasonal differences
- tropical species (reduce hours of lighting in winter)
Vivarium designs
Branches for arboreal species
Suitable substrate for burrowing
Places to hide for security
Abrasive surface for snakes to shed
Water bowls / pools
Should be easy to clean
What is the risk of using finer substrate (sand)?
Can ingest and will eventually cause an impaction
Snake diets
Eat whole prey
Illegal to feed live prey
Garter snakes fed fish - supplement with thiamine
Smaller snakes fed more frequently than larger ones
Lizard and chelonian diets
Carnivorous
Insectivorous
Herbivorous
Omnivorous
- vary depending on life stage
Insectivorous
Invertebrates
- Crickets, mealworms - have poor calcium phosphorus ratio
Should be dusted with vitamin and mineral supplement
Herbivorous
High fibre weeds (75-95%) grasses and veggies (5-15%)
Calcium:phosphorus ratio important
- should be 2:1
Vitamin and mineral supplements needed
LIMIT fruit (<10%)
What are the common husbandry related diseases in reptiles?
Dysecdysis
Abscesses / infection
Bladder stones / renal disease - chronic dehydration
Pre or post ovulatory egg stasis
GI impaction
Cloacal prolapses