Guidelines

Guidelines on Administration of Substances to Laboratory Animals

This document is designed to provide general guidelines about administration of substances to laboratory animals. All procedures must be approved by the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC). The route of administration, intervals between substance administration, dose range, and volume to be administered should be listed in the approved protocol specific to each study.
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Guidelines

Guidelines on Experimental Food or Water Restriction or Manipulation in Laboratory Animals

Food and water restriction can be an important and commonly used research tool in many experimental studies. This restriction has the potential to adversely affect an animal's well-being. In keeping within federal and university guidelines, and policies to minimize pain, distress and discomfort of animals used in research, the following guidelines have been developed for implementing food or water restriction or manipulation in experimental studies involving animals.  Pre-anesthetic fasting (with access to water) does not fall under these guidelines. See the species-specific anesthesia and anesthesia guidelines for recommendations on this topic. In a natural environment, it is not uncommon for animals to have restricted access to food and/or water throughout the day. “Working” for a food reward is also not a completely foreign activity, as animals in nature must forage or hunt for their food. As long as the periods of deprivation do not exceed the ability of homeostatic mechanisms to compensate, these animals are able to carry out normal activities. Common purposes for using food or water deprivation or restriction: Common purposes for using food or water deprivation or restriction: Studies pertaining to metabolism, energy regulation, fluid balance, etc. Studies pertaining to mechanisms and motivations of hunger and/or thirst. Studies using hunger or thirst as a motivating force to perform behavioral tasks. To promote a healthier body condition in an obese or sedentary animal. Studies analyzing the effects of restriction or manipulation on aging or cancer. Prior to surgery, to prevent complications such as vomiting and aspiration.
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Guidelines

Guidelines on Medical Records for Investigative Personnel

To define the components of a medical record that are the responsibility of the investigative personnel, and to describe the procedures for generating, maintaining, and storing them.
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Policies

Policy On Analgesia in Animals Undergoing Surgery

This policy has been created to minimize pain and distress to animals undergoing surgical procedures for research, teaching and testing by providing the minimum analgesic duration that is acceptable for various surgical procedures.
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Policies

Policy on Counting Animals Produced

This policy outlines the expectations for counting animals produced. An accurate animal count is required to fulfill federal obligations for reporting animal use and to ensure compliance with Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) approved protocols. (NOTE: This document was previously titled "Policy on Counting Animals Bred")
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Policies

Policy on the Restraint of Research Animals

This policy outlines the IACUCs expectations for the use of devices for physically restraining animals, defines “prolonged physical restraint”, and is intended to ensure that the use of devices for prolonged physical restraint is essential for achieving research objectives and that the period of restraint is the minimum required to accomplish the research objectives.
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Informational

Quick Reference Sheet: Understanding ULAM Per-Diem Rates

This printable Quick Reference Sheet provides a high-level overview of the types of husbandry and veterinary technician services that are covered by standard Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) per-diem rates and which services are additional fee-for-service.

Per-diem rates for animal...
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