Animal Welfare Information Center
United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Library
United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Library
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Animal Welfare Information Center United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library |
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Information Resources on the Care and Welfare of Rodents |
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Bochnowicz, S., R.R. Osborn, D.W.P. Hay, and D.C. Underwood (1997). Hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in an optimized environment for the guineapig. Laboratory Animals 31(4): 347-356. ISSN: 0023-6772.
NAL Call Number: QL55.A1L3
Abstract: Prolonged exposure to hypoxia elicits a variety of time-related morphologic and physiologic changes in the pulmonary vasculature of mammals, including humans. The study of hypoxia-induced changes in rodents generally requires a prolonged exposure to 9% oxygen for a minimum of 10 days in an airtight chamber, which has only been generally described in the literature as large (200-400 l), sealed acrylic chambers. To assist in the search for better therapies for diseases associated with chronic hypoxia using animal models, we have custom-built an airtight chamber for hypoxic exposure of rodents, and characterized the effect of chronic hypoxia on functional and morphologic changes in the pulmonary vasculature of the guineapig using this system. This chamber has been designed to alleviate any unnecessary stress related to food or water intake, cleanliness and excess illumination to the animals during the hypoxic-exposure period. Chronic exposure of the guineapig to hypoxia (0-21 days) produced time-related physiologic, morphologic, and haematologic changes. For example, after 10 days in hypoxia (9% oxygen), pulmonary artery pressure was significantly increased from 13 +/- 1 mmHg in normoxic controls (day 0, n=6) to 26 +/- 0 mmHg (day 10, n=4, P<0.01). Right ventricular hypertrophy in hypoxic animals, presented as a ratio of right ventricle free wall weight to body weight, showed a significant increase from 0.054 +/- 0.004 (day 0) to 0.069 + 0.004 on day 10 (P < 0.05 ), while age-matched normoxic animals showed no changes in right ventricular weight (day 0=0.059; day 10=0.058; P>0.05). Red blood cell count significantly increased over the same time period, from 5.9 +. 0.1 (day 0) to 6.4 +/- 0.1 (day 10, P < 0.05), as did haematocrit, 48 +/- 0.7 (day 0) to 61 +/- 0.9 (day 10, P < 0.05), and haemoglobin, 16 +/- 0.2 (day 0) to 20 +/- 0.1 (day 10, P<0.05). It is concluded that considerations for the well-being of the test animals (i.e. continuous water, ample food supplies, burrow-like hiding places, sanitation and protection from excess illumination) can easily be incorporated into a hypoxic chamber. The purpose of the present study was to explore modifications that may provide the animal with an optimized environment which will reduce anxiety and stress, as seen in their behaviour when inside the chambers, and to thoroughly characterize the morphologic and physiologic changes associated with chronic hypoxia which develop in a consistent time-related manner.
Descriptors: guinea pigs, hypoxia, hypertension, lungs, erythrocyte count, hematocrit, platelet count, animal housing, body weight, stress factors, animal welfare.
Colas, F., G. Hedelin, M.C. Kopferschmitt, N. Frossard, G. Pauli, and F. De Blay (1998). Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis among workers handling rats in research settings. European Respiratory Journal 12(Supplement 28): 31S-32S. ISSN: 0903-1936.
Descriptors: rats, handling, research, asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, prevalence, occupational health, diseases, conditions, animals.
Notes: Meeting Information: European Respiratory Society Annual Congress, September 19-23, 1998, Geneva, Switzerland.
Duff, J.P., R.J. Higgins, A.W. Sainsbury, and S.K. Macgregor (2001). Zoonotic infections in red squirrels. Veterinary Record 148(4): 123-4. ISSN: 0042-4900.
NAL Call Number: 41.8 V641
Descriptors: rodent diseases epidemiology, Sciuridae, zoonoses epidemiology, zoonoses microbiology, zoonoses parasitology, bacterial infections epidemiology, bacterial infections veterinary, Great Britain epidemiology, helminthiasis, animal epidemiology, parapoxvirus, poxviridae infections epidemiology, poxviridae infections veterinary, rodent diseases microbiology, rodent diseases parasitology, toxoplasmosis, animal epidemiology.
Hankenson, F.C., N.A. Johnston, B.J. Weigler, and R.F. Di Giacomo (2003). Zoonoses of occupational health importance in contemporary laboratory animal research. Comparative Medicine 53(6): 579-601. ISSN: 1532-0820.
NAL Call Number: SF77.C65
Abstract: In contemporary laboratory animal facilities, workplace exposure to zoonotic pathogens, agents transmitted to humans from vertebrate animals or their tissues, is an occupational hazard. The primary (e.g., macaques, pigs, dogs, rabbits, mice, and rats) and secondary species (e.g., sheep, goats, cats, ferrets, and pigeons) of animals commonly used in biomedical research, as classified by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, are established or potential hosts for a large number of zoonotic agents. Diseases included in this review are principally those wherein a risk to biomedical facility personnel has been documented by published reports of human cases in laboratory animal research settings, or under reasonably similar circumstances. Diseases are listed alphabetically, and each section includes information about clinical disease, transmission, occurrence, and prevention in animal reservoir species and humans. Our goal is to provide a resource for veterinarians, health-care professionals, technical staff, and administrators that will assist in the design and on-going evaluation of institutional occupational health and safety programs.
Descriptors: laboratory animals, zoonoses, animal technicians, disease reservoirs, disease transmission, symptoms, biomedical research, literature reviews.
Jackson, R.K. (1997). Unusual laboratory rodent species: research uses, care, and associated biohazards. ILAR Journal 38(1): 13-21. ISSN: 1084-2020.
NAL Call Number: QL55.A1I43
Descriptors: rodents, voles, Rodentia, squirrels, laboratory animals, animal models, experimentation, medical sciences, research, mammals, noxious animals, noxious mammals, pests, Rodentia, useful animals, Octodon degus, microtus, clethrionomys, peromyscus, Sigmodon hispidus, spermophilus, praomys, marmota.
Krohn, T.C. and A.K. Hansen (2004). Reduction in the spread of rodent urinary allergens during cage changing by laminar air flow cabins. Reduction in rodent allergens by LAF cabins. Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science 31(3): 149-154. ISSN: 0901-3393.
Descriptors: rodent, urinary allergens, cage changes, laminar air flow, spread, reduction, staff protection.
Renstrom, A., G. Bjoring, and A.U. Hoglund (2001). Evaluation of individually ventilated cage systems for laboratory rodents: occupational health aspects. Laboratory Animals 35(1): 42-50. ISSN: 0023-6772.
NAL Call Number: QL55.A1L3
Abstract: New ventilated caging systems for laboratory animals were compared with conventional caging regarding allergen distribution, ergonomic suitability, cage environment and animal welfare. This paper presents occupational health evaluations. Mice were placed in individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems, a ventilated cabinet, and in cages on open shelves (conventional husbandry). The IVC systems were studied at negative and positive airflow. Aeroallergens were sampled on filters (n=204, including controls) in undisturbed rooms and during cage changing. Concentrations of mouse urinary allergen (Mus m 1) in filter eluates were measured using sandwich ELISA. An ergonomic evaluation was performed with measurement of traction forces. Staff exposure during cage changing was high in all systems, range 116-4430 ng Mus m 1/m(3). In undisturbed animal rooms, allergen levels were orders of magnitude higher when using conventional caging compared with ventilated systems; P < 0.001. At positive pressure, both IVCs leaked allergen (median Mus m 1 concentration was < 0.08 ng/m(3) at negative, but 6.5 ng/m(3) (IVC 1) and 0.8 ng/m(3) (IVC2S) at positive pressure). The IVC systems had ergonomic disadvantages compared with the conventional husbandry and the ventilated cabinet, for instance with cages in unsuitable working heights. Ventilated husbandry solutions reduce levels of airborne allergen substantially at negative pressure, but are ergonomically less suitable. To prevent allergen exposure during cage changing, we propose that this procedure should be performed under ventilated conditions. Producers and users must cooperate in optimizing animal caging systems for both animals and. staff.
Descriptors: mice, rodents, cages, design, artificial ventilation, husbandry, allergens, occupational hazards, ventilated cage system, welfare, safety at work, ergonomics.
Waggie, K.S. and P.L. Marion (1997). Demodex sp. in California ground squirrels. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 33(2): 368-70. ISSN: 0090-3558.
Abstract: An undescribed species of Demodex (Acari: Demodecidae) was observed in hair follicles and ducts of sebaceous glands in the ear canals of seven California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) from Santa Clara County, California (USA). The animals had died of unrelated causes and were submitted for necropsy between September 1994 and February 1996. Similar mites were observed in the lumens of hair follicles and ducts of Meibomian glands in the eyelids of two of these squirrels. Microscopic changes in the epithelium and surrounding dermis, when present, were minimal. No associated clinical signs of disease or macroscopic lesions were observed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Demodex sp. in a ground squirrel.
Descriptors: mite infestations veterinary, rodent diseases parasitology, Sciuridae parasitology, California epidemiology, ear canal parasitology, eyelids parasitology, hair parasitology, meibomian glands parasitology, mite infestations epidemiology, mite infestations parasitology, mites, rodent diseases epidemiology, sebaceous glands parasitology, skin parasitology.