Handling, restraint and welfare Flashcards
What are the methods of picking up mice?
Cupping with hands, picking up via the tail, or guiding into a tunnel and tipping the mouse backwards.
What is the correct way to pick up a rat?
Lift via the shoulders and support underneath
What volume of blood do mice and rats contain, and what is the safe volume to withdraw at any time?
Rat - 70ml/kg
Mouse - 58.5ml/kg
Safely withdraw 10% of total volume
No more than 15% TBV in a 28 day period
What is the most common method of administration?
Gavage with a stomach tube (risks oesophagal rupture or tracheal dosing)
What are the different types of injections and their limitations?
Intramuscular - can be painful for the animal
Intraperitoneal - widely used, but unreliable since injection into the gut may occur
Intravenous injection - can be difficult in small rodents
Sub-cutaneous - minimal pain
What are the different blood sampling techniques?
Staphenous vein - relatively quick. Blood is collected from the staphenous vein in immobilised hind leg (non anaesthesia).
Tail vein - anaesthesia not required. Must be able to visualise the tail vein.
Retro-orbital - non-recovery. Blood is collected from the venous sinus while the rat is under terminal anesthesia. Sample is a mix of venous blood and tissue fluid, not representative of venous blood
Abdominal blood vessel - non-recovery. Blood is collected from the abdominal aorta, providing a good quality sample
Cardiac puncture - non-recovery. blood samples are taken from the heart
What are some methods of identifying animals?
Microchips, ear tags, tattoos, ear clipping/punching, marker pens
What are the optimum conditions for housing mice and rats?
Single-sex groups
Inbred strains are bred from monogamous pairs, in trios of one male or two females
Outbred strains are usually bred in small groups of 2-6 females with one male
