Preventative Medicine
When diseases are introduced into a concentrated housing area they can quickly spread causing morbidity and having disastrous effects on research programs. Exclusion of disease has proven to be the most efficient mthod of ensuring a healthy animal. Once a disease has been established it can be difficult to eradicate. Treatments are often costly and aren't always effective. These treatments may present as significant of a research variable as does the disease itself.
Cooperation with the ARC's preventative medicine programs is essential and scrupulous attention must be given to procedures such as room entry requirements, traffic flow and animal and waste handling requirements.
Quarantine, Stabilization and Separation
All animals are visually examined by the laboratory animal care staff when they are placed into housing. Animals are checked for any overt signs or injury or illness. Rabbits are checked for malocclusion or ear mites. Rodents are also checked for malocclusion. The veterinarian will check on animals and if necessary perform stool analysis or other laboratory tests required. Investigators will check frogs and fish upon arrival for any signs of illness or stress. The order specifications are verified and the investigator and veterinarian are contacted if any problems are found.
Animals are generally provided a period of stabilization of up to 7 days after arrival to acclimate to the new environment. The stabilization period allows animals to have a period for physiological, psychological and nutritional stabilization before their use.
Animals entering acute studies may be used in a shorter time period and timed-pregnant animals may also be used in a shorter time period.
Isolation rooms are available in the main facility. Animals that are ill are reported to the Lab Manager and the veterinarian who will determine whether they need to be isolated. In general, investigators are encouraged to isolate animals that that may be contagious to others to ensure the safety of the rest of the colony.
Animals are separated into rooms by species and are further separated into rooms by their sources, if possible, unless the investigator requests the animals to be housed in the same room for research purposes.
Updated June 18, 2007 by SAK