Laboratory Animal Science and Care

A collection of vocabulary terms and definitions covering laboratory animal science organizations, regulation, facility types, and species-specific biological and medical terminology for common lab animals.

Animal Care Panel (ACP)

Established in 1950, this organization focused on the production, care, and study of laboratory animals; it later became the AALAS in 1967.

The 3 R’s

The core principles of humane animal research: 1. Reduction, 2. Replacement, 3. Refinement.

Basic Research

Research aimed at advancing fundamental knowledge.

Applied Research

The use of existing knowledge for solving specific problems.

Clinical Research

Research that builds on knowledge and is always conducted on live animals.

Animal Rights

The belief that animals are equal to humans and humans have no right to use them.

Animal Welfare

The belief that animals can benefit humans if they are used humanely.

Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

Enforced by the USDA’s APHIS, it protects owners and assures humane treatment, but does NOT cover birds, ectotherms, rats, mice, horses (not in research), or livestock/poultry used for food.

AAALAC

The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, which accredits research labs based on AWA and Guide standards; accreditation is required to receive funding.

IACUC

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, responsible for evaluating programs twice a year, reviewing/approving protocols, and investigating complaints.

Macroenvironment

The environment within the animal rooms.

Microenvironment

The environment in individual cages, which directly affects the animals.

Thermoneutral Zone (TNZ)

The temperature range in which an animal does not need to use mechanisms to control heat.

Positive Airflow

Air that flows out of a room, used in areas like surgery suites.

Negative Airflow

Air that flows into a room, used for quarantine waste and isolation.

Germ-free (axenic)

Animals that harbor no detectable bacteria, viruses, or other microbes and lack normal digestive tract flora.

Gnotobiotic

Animals that lack all microbes except for specific normal digestive tract flora.

Specific pathogen free (SPF)

Animals that are free of certain known pathogens.

Sentinels

Healthy animals placed in a room to detect disease; they are monitored for several months, then euthanized and necropsied.

Harderian glands

Glands in mice and rats that secrete porphyrin; in rats, this can result in red-colored discharge around the eyes and nose during stress or illness.

Whitten effect

The synchronization of the estrus cycle in female mice when in the presence of a male.

Bruce effect

A phenomenon where recently bred female mice may abort when exposed to a strange male.

Ectromelia

Also known as "mousepox," an infection that can cause diarrhea, swelling, and fatal conditions in young/old mice, or chronic cutaneous rashes and necrosis.

Micro-isolator

A type of cage that filters room air to provide a barrier for the animals inside.

Murine

A term referring specifically to mice and rats.

Tyzzers

A disease caused by the gram-negative bacillus $pillformis$, affecting the liver and heart in multiple laboratory species and often fatal in guinea pigs.

Hystricomorph

A classification for guinea pigs based on the specific arrangement of their jaw muscles.

Precocious

Born in an advanced state; guinea pig pups are born fully haired, with eyes open, and eating solid food within hours.

Kurloff cells

Leukocytes containing intracytoplasmic inclusions found in guinea pigs that may play a role in fetal antigens.

Hob

An intact male ferret.

Jill

An intact female ferret.

Sprite

A spayed female ferret.

Induced Ovulators

Species such as ferrets and rabbits that ovulate in response to mating rather than a regular hormonal cycle.

Hyperestrogenism

A fatal condition in female ferrets if they stay in estrus without being bred or treated with hormones.

Peg teeth

The second set of upper incisors (wolf teeth) located behind the first set in rabbits (Lagomorpha).

Heterophils

Rabbit neutrophils that look similar to eosinophils.

Atherosclerosis

A condition where fatty material collects along artery walls, common in rabbits, causing high cholesterol and fat.

Snuffles

The common name for Pasteurellosis in rabbits, a bacterial infection ($Pasteurella$) causing respiratory distress and abscesses.

Trichobezoars

Hairballs that can be fatal in rabbits; sugar is often added to medications to treat them.

Wet tail

Also known as proliferative ileitis, a common health condition in hamsters.

Ventral marking gland

A gland used for scent marking found on the abdomen of gerbils.

Herpes B virus

A zoonotic virus carried by non-human primates that can cause asymptomatic lesions in monkeys but fatal encephalitis in humans.