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Per Diem

The expenses used to maintain one animal/cage for one day.

Per os (PO)

Administration of substances by mouth.

Permanent Medical Record

A file identified by an animal's clinical number that contains all health, surgical, and/or procedural records generated for an animal. This includes:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a device or garment worn by the worker to protect against hazards. Examples of PPE include such items as gloves, foot and eye protection, face shields, protective hearing devices (earplugs, muffs), hard hats, respirators, and full body suits.

Pest

An unwanted or nuisance organism, such as rodents or insects, identified within a facility.

Pest Management Services

A section within Facilities & Operations at the University of Michigan providing facility treatment and control management plans for pests.

pH (potential of Hydrogen)

An electrical value that is the parameter for the acidity of water. Recommended level 6.8 - 7.5.

Pharmaceutical Grade

A drug, biologic, or reagent that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in humans or animals or for which a chemical purity standard has been established by the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF), or British Pharmacopeia (BP). These standards are used by manufacturers to help ensure the products are of the appropriate chemical purity and quality, in the appropriate solution or compound, to ensure stability, safety, and efficacy. The FDA maintains a database listing approved commercial formulations for human drugs (the Orange Book) and veterinary drugs (the Green Book). For chemicals, a certificate of analysis is usually available upon request. 

Phenotype

An animal’s observable physical traits, e.g., tomato mice have reddish skin color, nude mice are hairless, albino animals have red eyes, etc.

Physical Restraint

“The use of manual or mechanical means to limit some or all of an animal’s normal movement for the purpose of examination, collection of samples, drug administration, therapy, or experimental manipulation.” (The Guide, pg 29)

Piglet

Any pig less than 8 weeks of age.

Pinworm

Pinworms are nematode parasites which have simple, direct life cycles and are frequent contaminants of both specific pathogen free (SPF) and conventional colonies of laboratory mice. Two species of pinworms that commonly infect laboratory mice are Syphacia obvelata and Aspiculuris tetraptera.

Pocket Timecard

A means to track the amount of time needed for each individual species of animal.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

One of the tests used by the Rodent Health Surveillance Team (RHST) to determine whether a colony is contaminated.

Positive Control

Liquid cycle biological indicator that has not been autoclaved but is turned in to the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory for incubation. A color change indicates that viable spores are present in the BIs.

Positive Pressure

Room is kept at a higher pressure than the surrounding rooms/hallway, causing air to flow out of room into surrounding areas when door is opened.

Post-Operative Period

The 7 to 10 days immediately following the initial day of surgery.

Post-Operative Record

A record maintained by investigative personnel that includes:

  • The surgery or procedure and the date it was performed
  • Notation of (at least) daily monitoring for the duration of the post-operative monitoring period as defined in the ULAM rodent or non-rodent mammal surgical guidelines, or as described in the animal use protocol.
  • Any drugs given, including the route, dose, and time/frequency.
  • For animal use protocols that state analgesia will be given "as needed," personnel MUST note that an animal is not painful/no longer needs analgesics BEFORE analgesics are discontinued.
    • The presence or absence of pain MUST be noted each day for the duration of the post-operative monitoring period.
  • The surgical/anesthetic/sedation record and the post-operative record may be combined and kept on a single sheet of paper if preferred.
  • Specific requirements for post-operative monitoring records can be found in these ULAM documents:

Power Washer

A high-pressure mechanical sprayer used to remove grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects.

Pre-emptive Analgesia

For the purpose of the Policy On Analgesia in Animals Undergoing Surgery, pre-emptive analgesia is analgesia administered before or immediately after an animal is anesthetized, but prior to initiation of a painful stimulus, such as skin incision.

Principal Investigator (PI)

The researcher who has received protocol approval to conduct the study.

Procedure

  • Any manipulation of an animal that does not involve an incision made requiring closure.
  • Procedures can be performed for an experimental application, for examination purposes, or for treatment of an induced or spontaneous disease or condition.
    Examples of procedures include:
    • Injections
    • Bandaging/casting
    • Imaging
    • Antibody production
    • Blood/fluid collection
    • -Oscopies into natural opening that do not involve biopsy
    • Non-invasive physiological monitoring
    • Small tissue biopsy without cavity exposure
    • Bone marrow aspirate

Process Monitors

Steam indicator tape, ethylene oxide indicator tape, sterilization indicator strip, biological indicator, peel pouch indicator.

Procurement Approved Vendors

Animal vendors that are in the University of Michigan vendor database. This list can be obtained from the Business Office or the Rodent Health Surveillance Team. Animals from these vendors may or may not need to be quarantined upon arrival, depending on the status granted to them by the faculty veterinarians. All approved vendors except those for exclusively mice in genus Mus and rats in genus Rattus should be USDA licensed.

 

Prolonged Physical Restraint

The U-M IACUC has defined prolonged physical restraint as the use of devices to physically restrain an animal for periods exceeding 30 minutes.

Pup tree shrew stage

P0-P30.

Purpose-Bred Cat (Class A Dealers)

A cat bred by USDA-licensed dealers specifically for research. Such animals have a clearly defined health, pedigree, and vaccination status. They are free from disease and from any antibodies related to feline infectious diseases.

Purpose-Bred Dog (Class A Dealers)

  1. A dog bred by USDA-licensed dealers or research colonies specifically for research.  These animals are raised in a laboratory setting away from general contact with other dogs harboring infectious diseases. These animals are clinically normal, have received vaccinations, and have received anthelmintics for parasite control.
  2. Purpose-bred dogs may be used in experiments in which recovery from anesthesia is planned, such as recovery from surgical procedures, and for long-term experiments not involving anesthesia or surgery.

Q Fever

Most herds and flocks in the USA are infected with Coxiella burnetii, the bacterium that causes Q fever.

  • While there is a low risk of exposure from healthy cattle, sheep or goats, the highest risk of exposure to Q fever is from placental membranes, birthing fluids, and fetuses from infected sheep, goats, and cattle.
    • The bacteria can become airborne, particularly during births and cleaning of birthing areas.
  • In most individuals, the disease manifests itself as a flu-like illness that resolves in 10-14 days.
  • Women of child-bearing age or who are pregnant should be aware that this bacterium may cause miscarriage or other problems with the human fetus.
  • Employees should report occupational exposure to their physician if clinical signs of illness are noted.
  • Rarely, a person may develop a chronic infection with the Q fever organism. This can cause endocarditis - an infection on the valves of the heart that can be fatal.
  • Individuals with the following conditions should be advised of the risk of serious illness that may result from Q fever and should be discouraged from working with sheep, cattle, and goats at the time of parturition.
    • Congenital heart disease
    • Prior valvular heart disease
    • Chronically compromised or impaired immune system
    • Pregnancy

Quarantine Animal

Animals with disease or unknown health status.

Quarantine In situ (QIS)

Special exemption from campus-wide fur mite treatment; animals remain housed in their fixed locations through campus-wide fur mite treatment and are subjected to specific testing requirements to prevent re-infestation of campus. Details are provided below. 

Table 1: Fur Mite Species Differences

   Fur Mite Species   

   Life Cycle   

   Morphology   

   Species Infected   

   Myocoptes musculinus   

   14 days   

   3rd and 4th legs heavily chitinized;   
   Eggs occupy ½ of abdomen   

   Mice   

   Myobia musculi   

   21-23 days   

   Single claw on 2nd digit   

   Mice and Rat   

   Radfordia affinis   

   Similar M. musculi   

   Two claws on 2nd digit (unequal length)   

   Mice and Rat   

   Radfordia ensifera   

   Similar M. musculi   

   Two claws on 2nd digit (equal length)   

   Rat   

Table 2: Treatment Summary

   Treatment Drug   

   Dose   

   Schedule   

   Cage Labeling   

   Ivermectin Chow   

   12ppm ad lib   

   Continuously for 8 weeks   

   None   

   Ivermectin Water   

   12ppm ad lib   
   0.28cc / 8oz of water   
   1.2cc / L of water   

   Continuously for 8 weeks   

   Yellow acetate with green label   
   indicating ivermectin water   

   Moxidectin (topical)   

   Mouse - 3Dl   
   Rat - 10Dl   

   Application on days 1 and 10   

   Yellow acetate with green label   
   for recording 2 treatment dates   

   MiteArrest   

   Cotton balls per animal:   
   Mouse - 2   
   Rat - 5   

   8 weeks with weekly change   

   Yellow acetate with green label   
   for recording 8 placement dates   

Quarters

  • Quarter 1 (Q1) = January – March
  • Quarter 2 (Q2) = April – June
  • Quarter 3 (Q3) = July – September
  • Quarter 4 (Q4) = October – December

Rabbit Kit

A rabbit from birth to approximately 6 weeks of age and still with their mother.

Rabies

A viral disease transmitted from animals (e.g. dogs, cats, ferrets, skunks, bats, raccoons) to other animals or humans. Rabies infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death if early treatment is not provided. It is transmitted into bite wounds, open cuts in skin, or onto mucous membranes from saliva or other infectious material (e.g. neural tissue).

Rack

Shelving unit or any other unit used to house animals and/or supplies. All racks should be identified with stenciled numbers/letters placed in the upper right hand corner of the rack. Side A and Side B will be labeled.

Random Source Cat (Class B Dealers)

Class B Cats are no longer used by the University of Michigan except under specific circumstances. In the event that they are used, a veterinarian will be consulted to determine which specific quarantine, conditioning, and handling procedures will be followed. Note: additional attention may be required for parasite control, vaccinations, and housing when dealing with Class B Cats.

Random Source Dogs (Class B Dealers)

Class B Dogs are no longer used by the University of Michigan except under specific circumstances. In the event that they are used, a veterinarian will be consulted to determine which specific quarantine, conditioning, and handling procedures will be followed. Note: additional attention may be required for parasite control, vaccinations, and housing when dealing with Class B Dogs. 

RCA

Research Compliance Associate.

REAL

Refinement & Enrichment Advancements Laboratory; a division of the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine.

Recommended Records

Those records that are not mandated (unless described in the protocol). However, generating and maintaining these records is highly recommended.

  • Experimentally induced disease/research records
  • Breeding records

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