Lab Animals Lab Flashcards
1
Q
Mice General
A
- most widely-used mammal in research
- easy to maintain, prolific, great genetic diversity
- order Rodentia
- Mus musculus
2
Q
Rats General
A
- easily maintained
- excellent pets
- larger than mice –> easier for surgical manipulation and sample collection
- order Rodentia
- Rattus norvegicus
3
Q
Rabbits General
A
- can be house-trained
- multipurpose: pets, show, research, food/fur/byproducts
- order Lagomorpha
- Oryctolagus caniculus
4
Q
Mouse and Rat Terminology
A
- dam
- sire
- pup (parturition)
- pup (offspring)
5
Q
Rabbit Terminology
A
- doe
- buck
- kindle (parturition)
- kit/kittling (offspring)
6
Q
Mice Handling
A
- grasp at base of tail
- place on surface with firm footing (like wire cage top)
- scruff them w/ non-dominant hand
- hold tail w/ last two fingers in non-dominant hand
7
Q
Rat Handling
A
- usually docile, but do not scruff
- grasp at base of tail for moving rat over short distance or cursory exam
- firmer restraint: thumb and index finger around forelimbs, other fingers support chest
- use other hand to support lower body and hold tail
- too much pressure: struggling, injury, increased tendency to bite
- holding tail distal to base can result in degloving injury
8
Q
Rabbit Handling
A
- docile, timid, panic (if aggressive, will bite)
- susceptible to lumbar spine luxation and fractures – breaking backs
- support hindquarters at all time
- can scruff w/ one hand, hold butt w/ other; support w/ forearms
- work over foam sheet to protect rabbit if dropped
- return rabbit to cage hind end first to prevent it jumping prematurely and injuring itself
- do not lift by ears
- longer restraint: restraint box or cat bag
9
Q
Temporary Identification
A
- felt tip marker on ear or tail for several days
- dyes on fur for several weeks (for light-colored and albino animals)
- shave fur on back or side of animal
10
Q
Permanent Identification
A
- ear punching, ear tagging, SQ microchip
- ear punching produces 0.5 to 2 mm notch near edge of ear or hole in middle of ear
- test ear punching device before use
- disinfect/autoclave cutting edge of punch
11
Q
Life Span
A
- mice: 1-2 yrs
- rats: 2-4 yrs
- rabbits: 5-6 yrs
12
Q
Adult Weight (F/M)
A
- mice: 30/35 g
- rats: 300/500 g
- rabbits: 6/5 kg
13
Q
Breeding Onset (F/M)
A
- mice: 6-7/6-8 wks
- rats: 9-10/10-11 wks
- rabbits: 5/6 mo
14
Q
Estrous Cycle
A
- mice: 4-5 d
- rats: 4-5 d
- rabbits: 15-16 d (induced)
15
Q
Gestation Length
A
- mice: 19-21 d
- rats: 20-22 d
- rabbits: 31-32 d
16
Q
Weaning Age
A
- mice: 21 d
- rats: 21 d
- rabbits: 4-8 wks
17
Q
Litter Size
A
- mice: 10-12
- rats: 9-11
- rabbits: 7-9
18
Q
Sexing
A
- see lab manual pg. 113
19
Q
Estrous Cyclicity
A
- large animals: collect blood sample and measure estrogen and progesterone levels
- rodents: Lee-Boot effect or Whitten effect
20
Q
Lee-Boot Effect
A
- synchronize females by housing together in cage
- they all enter state of “persistent diestrus”
- useful for breeding
21
Q
Whitten Effect
A
- introduce bedding from male into cage of females
- females will be in estrus 3 d later
22
Q
Determining Stage of Cycle
A
- sample cells from vagina w/ swab –> different cells depending on stage of cycle
- look at vulva
23
Q
Vulva
A
- diestrus: small, dry vulva opening
- proestrus and estrus: estrogen makes vulva moister, pink, more open
- metestrus: vulva enlarged and floor has “striations” on it
24
Q
Mice and Rat Nutrition
A
- omnivorous
- monogastric
- adult rats: 5 g feed, 10 mL water per day for every 100 g of body weight
- feed consumption depends on health, breeding stage, ambient temp, humidity, time of day
25
Q
Rabbit Nutrition
A
- concentrate selectors –> naturally select foods higher in energy density
- non-ruminant herbivores w/ enlarged hindgut
- coprophagy: reingestion of soft feces or caecotrophs immediately after its expulsion from the anus
- coprophagy highest when diets high in non-digestible fiber are fed
- reingested fecal matter provides essential components of rabbit nutrition, including vitamins (all the B vitamins needed), microbial protein, and small amts of VFAs
26
Q
Standard Photoperiod for Lab Animals
A
- 14 hrs light, 10 hrs dark OR
- 12 hrs each
27
Q
Mice Housing
A
- 96.7 cm^2 of floor area/animal for group-housed mice weighing more than 25 g for adult mice
- female w/ litter: 330 cm^2 (sheet of paper)
- temp: 20-26 degrees C
- humidity: 30-70% (for most mammals)
28
Q
Rat Housing
A
- group-housed adult rats more than 500 g: 451.5 cm^2
- female w/ litter: 800 cm^2
- temp: 20-26 degrees C
29
Q
Rabbit Housing
A
- group-housed/paired rabbits more than 5.4 kg: 0.46 m^2
- temp: 16-22 degrees C
