intro to exotic + lab animals

what’s the legal definition of an exotic pet?

any animal that is not native to the area where it is found/housed

what’s the general definition of an exotic pet?

any companion animal other than a dog or cat

what are examples of common exotic pets?

birds, reptiles, amphibians, pocket pets

what’s the definition of a laboratory animal?

any animal used in research and teaching

what animals are commonly used as laboratory animals?

mice and rats

T/F - nearly all medicine used in exotic and lab animal medicine are extra label use.

true

why does medicine often need to be diluted when given to exotic or lab animals?

because doses are for regular size animals (dogs and cats) and therefore the dose for a smaller animal would be extremely hard to measure

what are the 4 categories of predisposing factors?

1. intrinsic

2. extrinsic

3. dietary

4. experimental

why is being able to control predisposing factors important?

because controlling factors that predispose animals to disease is the key to disease prevention

what are examples of intrinsic factors?

• species

• age

• gender

• heredity/genetics

what are examples of extrinsic factors?

• temperature

• humidity

• lighting

• noise

• ventilation

what are examples of dietary factors?

• quality and quantity of food + water

• sanitation of feed and water containers

what are examples of experimental factors?

• develop as a function of a research protocol

• surgery, restraint, drug effects

• study designated to minimize effects

why must the vet team be familiar with local laws regarding exotic animals?

because some animals are illegal to own/trade in certain states and its our job to counsel owners

what is the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild flora and fauna (CITES)?

multinational agreement between governments designed to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants doesn’t threaten their survival

why might exotic pets pose a risk to public health and local ecosystems?

if owners don’t know how to properly re-home these animals, they could transfer zoonotic diseases, become a danger to the community, and they could disrupt local ecosystems if they’re invasive to the area they’re in

T/F - anyone with vet knowledge can provide care or possess native wildlife.

false - a permit or license is needed to provide care for or possess native wildlife and veterinarians may only provide emergency care to stabilize animal before taking them to a local licensed rehabilitator

if a client says they’ve found an injured or orphaned animal, what 2 key questions should you ask?

1. location where animal was found

2. why do they believe it to be injured or orphaned

what does the animal welfare act do?

• governs the sale, handling, transport, and use of animals

• sets standard of care for animals in education, research, or exhibition

which animals does the animal welfare act cover?

all warm-blooded vertebrates used in research, testing or teaching except horses and farm animals used for ag research, food, or fiber

which US department enforces the animal welfare act?

USDA

which USDA agency must conduct facility inspections at least annually to help the regulation and enforcement of the animal welfare act?

animal and plant health inspection service (APHIS)

which USDA agency enforces penalties for violations of the animal welfare act that may include fines, suspensions, and closure?

regulatory enforcement and animal care (REAC)

what does the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) do?

they’re responsible for all aspects of animal use, education, health, and compliance with all laws and regulations in an institution using animals under the AWA

what are the minimum member requirements for institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)?

must include

• one veterinarian with training and experience in laboratory animal medicine

• one person with no affiliation with the research facility

T/F - institutions can only have one institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)

false - they can have many

what are the functions of the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)?

• inspect facility every 6 months

• review protocols

• investigate complaints

• prepare evaluation reports every 6 months

• make recommendations to the institutional official

• suspend activity involving animals if standards are not met

what is “the guide” used for?

as the primary reference on animal care and use

what does “the guide” do?

• methods for monitoring animal care and use

• provisions for veterinary care

• qualifications and training of personnel, and the establishment of an OSHA program

• standards for the animal environment

• animal husbandry and management

• design and construction of animal facilities

T/F - facilities that receive funding from the public health service don’t need to adhere to the requirements of “the guide”

false - they do

T/F - species excluded from the animal welfare act are covered by the guide

true

what’s the other version of “the guide” called that applies to the use of farm animals in nonbiomedical research protocols?

guide for the care and use of agricultural animals in research and teaching (the ag guide)

which department does the public health services belong to?

US dept of health and human services

what does the public health services agency do?

• specific policies on utilization and care of vertebrate animals in research and education

• based on US government principles for the utilization and care of vertebrate animals used in testing, research, and training

  • standards on euthanasia to relieve pain and suffering

what does the office of research integrity do?

• focuses on promoting integrity in biomedical and behavioral research funded by PHS

• oversees investigations into research misconduct

• promotes responsible research through educational, preventative, and regulatory activities

what are good laboratory practices (GLPs)?

specific mandates for personnel training, recordkeeping, and quality assurance

T/F - facilities that receive funding from the FDA or EPA must adhere to good laboratory practices regulations, even if not using animals

true

what does the US food and drug administration do?

enforces laws designed to protect the health and safety of the general public and ensures that foods, drugs, biologic products, medical devices, cosmetics and electronic products are safe

what does the food, drug, and cosmetic act do?

• mandates thar manufacturers of products provide documentation of safety

• does not mandate cosmetics or other consumer products undergo animal testing

what is the environmental protection agency?

federal government agency that administers laws that protect human health and the environment

what does the environmental protection agency do?

request specific animal testing and can remove products from the market or restrict their use if the safety of the product cannot be adequately determined

what does the consumer product safety commission do?

enforces the regulations contained in the federal hazardous substances labeling act

what is the national institute of health and what does it do?

• agency of public health services (PHS)

• focus is to support and conduct biomedical research

what does the association for assessment and accreditation of laboratory animal care (AAALAC) do?

• promotes the humane treatment of animals in science

• evaluates all aspects of animal care and use program

T/F - only veterinarians can become AAALAC certified.

false - vet nurses can become AAALAC certified too!

what are the 3 Rs that researchers adhere to?

1. reduction

2. refinement

3. replacement

the use of the absolute least number of animals that will achieve the research goals is referred to as:

reduction

improving techniques to cause the least amount of stress, pain, anxiety, and disturbances to the animal is to referred as:

refinement

using nonanimal alternatives whenever possible is referred to as:

replacement

what are animal exploitation groups?

• believe animals are for human use

• considered property, no sense of suffering

• most activities advocated by this group are illegal in the US

what are animal use groups?

• believe animals are for human use, but we must be responsible about the use

• sparing animals from pain and discomfort if possible

• people who work in lab animal, eat meat, wear leather, hunt, fish, etc

what are animal control groups?

• believe that governments should write laws that express sentiments of most of the population and that laws should be carried out

• change to improve the quality of care and welfare of animal

• USDA, AVMA

what are animal welfare groups?

• believe people should treat each animal as kindly as possible and they should be required by law to do so

• relieve suffering, promote animal welfare

• does not oppose research if it does not cause pain/distress and is of value

• animal shelter, SPCA

what are animal rights groups?

• believe that animals have intrinsic rights that should be guaranteed just like human rights

• believe that research should never be done because it violates the basic rights of animals

• national anti-vivisection society, no kill shelters

what are animal liberation groups?

• believe that animals should not be forced to work or produce for our benefit

• can be similar to animal rights

• extreme advocates feel owning a pet is a form of enslavement

• believes all animal research is wrong and cruel

• people for the ethical treatment of animals (PETA), animal liberation front (ALF)

T/F - there’s legal definitions for “cruelty free” and “not tested on animals”

false

name some benefits of animal research:

• Rh factor discovered (monkey)

• penicillin tested (mouse)

• organ transplantation techniques advanced (dog, sheep, cow,
  pig)

• laparoscopic surgical techniques (pig)

• gene transfer for cystic fibrosis (mouse, nonhuman primates)

• MRI for diagnosis (clam, rat)

• vaccines for smallpox, anthrax, rabies, tetanus, polio, rubella
  (cow, sheep, dog, rabbit, horse, mouse, monkey)

• mechanisms of immunity discovered (guinea pig, horse,
  rabbit)

• insulin (dog, fish, pig)

• open heart surgeries and pacemakers (dog)