Laboratory Animal Science function A/C
Chapter 1: Animal handling and Restraint: During husbandry and experiments
General principle:
v Avoid aversive handling: “Calm, cool and collected”
Ø approach in a calm and confident manner
Ø avoid exaggerated or sudden movements
Ø speak in soft tones and a quiet voice
v Benefit for:
Ø Animal welfare (reduces stress, no defensive aggression)
Ø Handler (reduces stress, risk/safety ~ zoonosis)
Ø Reliability research data (stress will be a confounding factor à unwanted source of variation
within and between experiments)
Options to pick up an animal:
• Pick them up by the tail
• Use forceps to pick them up by the tail or between the loose skin by the neck
• Use cupping to pick them up
• Use a tunnel to pick them up
1
,2
, Picking up the animal
v Applicability ( when do you need to pick animals up)
Ø Cage changing
Ø Move animal in anesthesia chamber, behavioural set-up, …
Ø Prior to fixation
v Effects
Ø Reduced handling stress
Ø Improved animal welfare
Ø No increased handling time if experienced
Ø Potential to reduce variation in animal studies
§ more reliable data
§ reduction number of animals
§ refining techniques ~ welfare
v Critical ideas
Ø Applicability = dependent on mice of interest
§ There can be strain- or model-specific agitation
and aggression that can be easier or hard to be
picked up
Ø Cost benefit?
§ required theoretical training time
• ensure that scientists and animal care staff
are familiar with the evidence base
• required hands-on training time
Ø Involvement of complete ‘animal caretake chain’
required! (+ high level support)
Note: You can tweak you procedures to improve animal welfare, by picking the animal by the tail
never dangle it loose but let it position on the arm.
v To increase applicability/ feasibility in daily lab life
To take the animals out of the test facility you use a fly swapper and try
to place them back into the cage. Instead of picking them up and place
them in the cage you try this. If you use cupping your hands can maybe
be covered with feces and bedding with isn’t very sterile and can
contaminate the test environment.
3
, Immobilisation of animals
v Goals?
Ø Required for some experimental procedures
Ø Avoid injury of animal
Ø Avoid injury of researcher (biting/scratching)
v Methods
Ø Restraining with hands
Ø Restrainers (commercially available vs. self made)
Ø Anaesthesia
§ (injection/inhalation, cfr. Classes CVG)
General principle: “firm but gentle approach”
Ø Species-specific approach
Ø Technique-specific approach
Ø Make sure animals are aware of your presence prior to restraining
Ø Your grip = firm enough to keep the animal from struggling, but gentle enough for it to
breathe comfortably
Ø Talk in a calm and muted manner
Ø Move in a purposeful and controlled manner
Ø Ensure a quiet and stable environment + use appropriate personal protective equipment!
Rats
Ø Docile – good habituation to handling (cfr. rat tickling)
Ø Around body / shoulders
Ø Scruff restraint
Ø Sensitive tail! à preferably: avoid …
§ If required: base of tail!!
Note: Rat tickeling à positive handeling/ interaction with humans. They can easyly aclimatized/
habituated. Rat are best picked up around the body/ shoulders. Do not pick up a rat by the tail bc
that is painfull due to sensitivity bc the skin can come loose of the tail. If necessary only at the base
of the tail can they be picked up.
4
Chapter 1: Animal handling and Restraint: During husbandry and experiments
General principle:
v Avoid aversive handling: “Calm, cool and collected”
Ø approach in a calm and confident manner
Ø avoid exaggerated or sudden movements
Ø speak in soft tones and a quiet voice
v Benefit for:
Ø Animal welfare (reduces stress, no defensive aggression)
Ø Handler (reduces stress, risk/safety ~ zoonosis)
Ø Reliability research data (stress will be a confounding factor à unwanted source of variation
within and between experiments)
Options to pick up an animal:
• Pick them up by the tail
• Use forceps to pick them up by the tail or between the loose skin by the neck
• Use cupping to pick them up
• Use a tunnel to pick them up
1
,2
, Picking up the animal
v Applicability ( when do you need to pick animals up)
Ø Cage changing
Ø Move animal in anesthesia chamber, behavioural set-up, …
Ø Prior to fixation
v Effects
Ø Reduced handling stress
Ø Improved animal welfare
Ø No increased handling time if experienced
Ø Potential to reduce variation in animal studies
§ more reliable data
§ reduction number of animals
§ refining techniques ~ welfare
v Critical ideas
Ø Applicability = dependent on mice of interest
§ There can be strain- or model-specific agitation
and aggression that can be easier or hard to be
picked up
Ø Cost benefit?
§ required theoretical training time
• ensure that scientists and animal care staff
are familiar with the evidence base
• required hands-on training time
Ø Involvement of complete ‘animal caretake chain’
required! (+ high level support)
Note: You can tweak you procedures to improve animal welfare, by picking the animal by the tail
never dangle it loose but let it position on the arm.
v To increase applicability/ feasibility in daily lab life
To take the animals out of the test facility you use a fly swapper and try
to place them back into the cage. Instead of picking them up and place
them in the cage you try this. If you use cupping your hands can maybe
be covered with feces and bedding with isn’t very sterile and can
contaminate the test environment.
3
, Immobilisation of animals
v Goals?
Ø Required for some experimental procedures
Ø Avoid injury of animal
Ø Avoid injury of researcher (biting/scratching)
v Methods
Ø Restraining with hands
Ø Restrainers (commercially available vs. self made)
Ø Anaesthesia
§ (injection/inhalation, cfr. Classes CVG)
General principle: “firm but gentle approach”
Ø Species-specific approach
Ø Technique-specific approach
Ø Make sure animals are aware of your presence prior to restraining
Ø Your grip = firm enough to keep the animal from struggling, but gentle enough for it to
breathe comfortably
Ø Talk in a calm and muted manner
Ø Move in a purposeful and controlled manner
Ø Ensure a quiet and stable environment + use appropriate personal protective equipment!
Rats
Ø Docile – good habituation to handling (cfr. rat tickling)
Ø Around body / shoulders
Ø Scruff restraint
Ø Sensitive tail! à preferably: avoid …
§ If required: base of tail!!
Note: Rat tickeling à positive handeling/ interaction with humans. They can easyly aclimatized/
habituated. Rat are best picked up around the body/ shoulders. Do not pick up a rat by the tail bc
that is painfull due to sensitivity bc the skin can come loose of the tail. If necessary only at the base
of the tail can they be picked up.
4
