158 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
158 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
# Standard Operating Procedure: Animal Health Monitoring
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| Document ID | SOP-VET-001 |
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| Title | Daily and Weekly Animal Health Monitoring |
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| Revision | 1.0 |
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| Effective Date | [DATE] |
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| Author | [AUTHOR] |
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| Approved By | [APPROVER] |
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| Department | Veterinary Services |
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---
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## 1. Purpose
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To establish standardized procedures for monitoring the health and welfare of laboratory animals in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and IACUC requirements.
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## 2. Scope
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This procedure applies to all laboratory animals housed in the facility, including:
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- Rodents (mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs)
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- Rabbits
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- Large animals (as applicable)
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- All other species maintained under approved protocols
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## 3. Responsibilities
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### 3.1 Animal Care Staff
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- Perform daily health observations
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- Document abnormal findings
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- Report concerns to veterinary staff immediately
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### 3.2 Veterinary Technician
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- Conduct weekly detailed health assessments
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- Provide treatments as directed
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- Maintain health records
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### 3.3 Attending Veterinarian
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- Review health reports
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- Prescribe treatments
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- Make euthanasia decisions when necessary
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- Report to IACUC as required
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## 4. Definitions
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| Term | Definition |
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|------|------------|
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| BCS | Body Condition Score - assessment of nutritional status |
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| Clinical Sign | Observable indication of disease or abnormality |
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| Humane Endpoint | Predetermined point at which animal is euthanized to prevent suffering |
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## 5. Equipment and Materials
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- Health observation forms
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- Weighing scale (appropriate for species)
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- Flashlight for cage inspection
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- PPE (gloves, gown, mask as required)
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- Body condition score reference charts
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## 6. Procedure
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### 6.1 Daily Health Observations
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Performed by animal care staff during routine husbandry:
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1. **General Appearance**
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- [ ] Coat condition (smooth, groomed, no lesions)
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- [ ] Posture (normal stance, no hunching)
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- [ ] Activity level (appropriate for species/time of day)
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- [ ] Respiration (no labored breathing)
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2. **Food and Water**
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- [ ] Food consumption (evidence of eating)
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- [ ] Water consumption (bottle/sipper functioning)
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- [ ] No evidence of dehydration
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3. **Cage Environment**
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- [ ] Normal fecal output
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- [ ] No evidence of diarrhea
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- [ ] No blood in cage
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- [ ] Bedding condition adequate
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4. **Documentation**
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- Record any abnormalities on Daily Health Check form
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- Notify veterinary staff of concerns immediately
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- Do not wait until end of shift for urgent findings
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### 6.2 Weekly Health Assessments
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Performed by veterinary technician:
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1. **Individual Animal Examination**
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- Body weight (compare to baseline)
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- Body condition score (1-5 scale)
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- Eyes, ears, nose examination
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- Skin and coat assessment
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- Palpation as appropriate
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2. **Colony Health Review**
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- Mortality/morbidity trends
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- Sentinel animal results (if applicable)
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- Environmental monitoring review
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- Protocol-specific assessments
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### 6.3 Body Condition Scoring
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| Score | Description | Action |
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|-------|-------------|--------|
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| 1 | Emaciated - Bones prominent | Immediate vet consult |
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| 2 | Underconditioned | Increase monitoring, consider intervention |
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| 3 | Well-conditioned (ideal) | Continue routine care |
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| 4 | Overconditioned | Dietary review |
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| 5 | Obese | Dietary intervention required |
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### 6.4 Clinical Signs Requiring Immediate Veterinary Notification
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- Respiratory distress
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- Severe lethargy or non-responsiveness
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- Bleeding or open wounds
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- Seizures
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- Prolapsed organs
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- Severe weight loss (>20% of baseline)
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- Tumor burden exceeding protocol limits
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- Signs of pain not controlled by protocol analgesia
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### 6.5 Humane Endpoint Assessment
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When clinical signs indicate potential endpoint:
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1. Assess against protocol-specific humane endpoints
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2. Calculate combined clinical score if applicable
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3. Consult veterinarian immediately
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4. Document assessment and decision
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5. Proceed with euthanasia if criteria met
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## 7. Documentation
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All health observations must be documented:
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- **Daily observations**: FRM-VET-001 Daily Health Check
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- **Weekly assessments**: FRM-VET-002 Weekly Health Assessment
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- **Abnormal findings**: FRM-VET-003 Veterinary Treatment Record
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- **Euthanasia**: FRM-VET-004 Euthanasia Record
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## 8. References
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- Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th Edition)
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- AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals
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- Institutional IACUC policies
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- Species-specific husbandry guides
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---
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## Revision History
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| Rev | Date | Description | Author |
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|-----|------|-------------|--------|
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| 1.0 | [DATE] | Initial release | [AUTHOR] |
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