animal-facility/SOPs/Veterinary-Services/SOP-VET-001-Health-Monitoring.md

Standard Operating Procedure: Animal Health Monitoring

Document ID	SOP-VET-001
Title	Daily and Weekly Animal Health Monitoring
Revision	1.0
Effective Date	[DATE]
Author	[AUTHOR]
Approved By	[APPROVER]
Department	Veterinary Services

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1. Purpose

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.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all laboratory animals housed in the facility, including:

• Rodents (mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs)
• Rabbits
• Large animals (as applicable)
• All other species maintained under approved protocols

3. Responsibilities

3.1 Animal Care Staff

• Perform daily health observations
• Document abnormal findings
• Report concerns to veterinary staff immediately

3.2 Veterinary Technician

• Conduct weekly detailed health assessments
• Provide treatments as directed
• Maintain health records

3.3 Attending Veterinarian

• Review health reports
• Prescribe treatments
• Make euthanasia decisions when necessary
• Report to IACUC as required

4. Definitions

Term	Definition
BCS	Body Condition Score - assessment of nutritional status
Clinical Sign	Observable indication of disease or abnormality
Humane Endpoint	Predetermined point at which animal is euthanized to prevent suffering

5. Equipment and Materials

• Health observation forms
• Weighing scale (appropriate for species)
• Flashlight for cage inspection
• PPE (gloves, gown, mask as required)
• Body condition score reference charts

6. Procedure

6.1 Daily Health Observations

Performed by animal care staff during routine husbandry:

1. General Appearance

   • Coat condition (smooth, groomed, no lesions)
   • Posture (normal stance, no hunching)
   • Activity level (appropriate for species/time of day)
   • Respiration (no labored breathing)

2. Food and Water

   • Food consumption (evidence of eating)
   • Water consumption (bottle/sipper functioning)
   • No evidence of dehydration

3. Cage Environment

   • Normal fecal output
   • No evidence of diarrhea
   • No blood in cage
   • Bedding condition adequate

4. Documentation

   • Record any abnormalities on Daily Health Check form
   • Notify veterinary staff of concerns immediately
   • Do not wait until end of shift for urgent findings

6.2 Weekly Health Assessments

Performed by veterinary technician:

1. Individual Animal Examination

   • Body weight (compare to baseline)
   • Body condition score (1-5 scale)
   • Eyes, ears, nose examination
   • Skin and coat assessment
   • Palpation as appropriate

2. Colony Health Review

   • Mortality/morbidity trends
   • Sentinel animal results (if applicable)
   • Environmental monitoring review
   • Protocol-specific assessments

6.3 Body Condition Scoring

Score	Description	Action
1	Emaciated - Bones prominent	Immediate vet consult
2	Underconditioned	Increase monitoring, consider intervention
3	Well-conditioned (ideal)	Continue routine care
4	Overconditioned	Dietary review
5	Obese	Dietary intervention required

6.4 Clinical Signs Requiring Immediate Veterinary Notification

• Respiratory distress
• Severe lethargy or non-responsiveness
• Bleeding or open wounds
• Seizures
• Prolapsed organs
• Severe weight loss (>20% of baseline)
• Tumor burden exceeding protocol limits
• Signs of pain not controlled by protocol analgesia

6.5 Humane Endpoint Assessment

When clinical signs indicate potential endpoint:

1. Assess against protocol-specific humane endpoints
2. Calculate combined clinical score if applicable
3. Consult veterinarian immediately
4. Document assessment and decision
5. Proceed with euthanasia if criteria met

7. Documentation

All health observations must be documented:

• Daily observations: FRM-VET-001 Daily Health Check
• Weekly assessments: FRM-VET-002 Weekly Health Assessment
• Abnormal findings: FRM-VET-003 Veterinary Treatment Record
• Euthanasia: FRM-VET-004 Euthanasia Record

8. References

• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th Edition)
• AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals
• Institutional IACUC policies
• Species-specific husbandry guides

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Revision History

Rev	Date	Description	Author
1.0	[DATE]	Initial release	[AUTHOR]