Transcript ALAT Chapter 29 Part A - AZ Branch AALAS Homepage

Chapter Twenty-Nine
Miscellaneous Laboratory Animals
Part 1
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Miscellaneous Laboratory Animals
 This chapter is devoted to a brief outline of some
of the less commonly seen animals in a research
facility.
 Horses and cattle, for example, are most often
found in agricultural research programs, rather
than a typical laboratory.
 The remainder of the species listed each have
specific research uses, and therefore the type of
research being conducted at a facility will
determine whether or not these species are used.
Horses
 Categorized as ponies, light horses, draft horses
 Most often source of blood for production of
specific serums, antiserums & antitoxins
 Handling and Restraint:
cannot be restrained by force alone
taught to submit to handling and voice control
approach & handle in a confident, calm manner, while
speaking softly
unable to see objects directly in front of them
approach from a 45 degree angle off either shoulder
Physical contact to gain animal’s confidence & give
handler warning of sudden movements
(Image) Blood Sampling
Horses II
 Led near a wall, keep safely to horse’s shoulder
w/ a short lead & elbow against side of neck
 Backing into a corner can prevent backing away
 Handler on same side as person doing
manipulation, prevents horse turning & kicking
 Tie rope long & high enough to prevent horse
from getting leg over rope or head under it
Use quick release snaps or knots
 1 person never does manipulations on tied horse
 Picking up 1 front leg discourages it from moving
horse is reluctant or unable to simultaneously lift
another foot
Horse Behavior
 Establish social hierarchy, w/ an older mare
dominating the group, except in breeding season
 “Mood” can be detected by head carriage, ear
position & look in eyes
Pawing, continuous body movement, head tossing, a
wild or frightened look in the eyes, ears laid back
against the head or attempts to bite - signals of danger
 Nonaggressive but frighten easily
will flee perceived danger before being aggressive
 In home environment they appear relaxed, often
resting one hind leg
 Horses usually doze or sleep standing up
Horse Husbandry & Diet
 Install watering devices & feed containers at a
comfortably high level to prevent fouling
 Avoid sharp corners & protrusions on containers
 Rail or woven wire fences should be 4.5 ft high
 In stalls, provide contact bedding of straw
 Frequent removal of soiled bedding essential
 Non-ruminant grazing animals - digestive system
is adapted to frequent small feedings
 Amount of food depends on horse’s size, age,
exercise level, & laboratory use
 Concentrated feed necessary in severe weather
Cattle
 Cud-chewing animals
 Beef & dairy cattle are primary types in U.S.
Beef cattle for rapid growth and meat production
Dairy cattle for high milk production
 Purebred beef breeds = Angus, Brahman,
Charolais, Hereford, Shorthorn
 Dairy breeds = Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey,
Holstein, Jersey, Milking Shorthorn
 Used in bovine health, toxicology &
cardiovascular studies, development of artificial
hearts & cardiac assist devices
Dairy cows used in milk radioactivity uptake studies
(Image) Feeding Calf
Cattle Handling & Restraint
 Flanking - grasp from side w/ 1 hand under neck
W/ other hand reach over back, grasp flank fold
or 1 rear & 1 front leg grasped
or 1 front leg & flank fold
 Lift & pull calf up off feet, let slide down legs
then restrain on ground w/ knee on neck & upper front
leg bent back
 Squeeze chute w/ head & tail gate - Individual
restraint requiring nearly complete immobilization
 Side panels & bars movable, allows side access
 For larger animals, squeeze chutes, must be
available & properly used
Cattle Behavior
 Quiet & tend to follow a leader
 Separation from group can be stressful
 When handled frequently & gently most cattle
become tractable & trustful of handlers
 Strong & excitable, capable of inflicting injuries
 Handle w/ quiet patience & confidence, but w/
respect for their size & power
 Cattle spend much of their time ruminating
Cattle Husbandry & Diet
 Housing similar to sheep and goats
 Adapt to automatic watering
dispenses water when lever pressed with muzzle
 Pastures - shade in summer & shelter in winter
 Not housed on pasture - held in stalls bedded w/
straw or shavings
 Can thrive on pasture & roughage
 Silage = fermented mix of corn & roughage
Nutritional needs of cattle similar to sheep & goats
 Drink 10 - 15 gal water / day; large quantities of
fresh water must always be available
 Provided w/ mineral block
(Image) Feeding Calves
Reptiles
 Reptiles are ectothermic vertebrates
 Distinguished by dry, scaly skin & turtle shell
 Class Reptilia = tortoises & turtles, crocodiles &
alligators, snakes & lizards
 Breathe air by means of lungs at all stages of life
not through gill-breathing tadpole stage as amphibians
 All major groups of reptiles contain some
endangered species
 Used for anatomical & comparative physiological
studies
 Investigators who order them have some
expertise & are valuable info. resource
(Images) Reptiles
Reptile Handling & Restraint
 Move gently, confidently & quickly
A hesitant or jerky approach provokes a bite
If gently handled, most become less aggressive, placid
 Can be scooped up by body & moved quickly, no
real restraint needed
Head restraint necessary, support reptile’s body & legs
 Hook effective tool for lifting a snake to a holding
container or clean cage
slid under snake 1/3 - 1/2 down body
Snake is lifted quickly to a meter above surface
 Label venomous snakes or lizards “Poisonous” or
“Dangerous” in a noticeable color
Reptile Handling & Restraint II
 Large lizards hand held by grasping behind head
w/ 1 hand, pinning front legs against body,
pinning hind legs against tail w/ other hand
 Small lizards not enclosed by hand for > than a
few seconds, since this may injure or kill them
 Never handle lizard by tail - potential tail damage
 Turtles can be picked up by shell
 Snapping turtles & soft-shell turtles have long
flexible necks & can inflict severe bite wounds
carry by tail & hold well away from body
Wear heavy protective gloves when carrying them
(Images) Alligators
Reptile Behavior
 Most reptiles used in laboratories are wild-caught
limited capacity to adapt, & success in captivity
depends on ability of keeper to create a natural habitat
 Best to maintain species separately & keep no.
within enclosure to a minimum
 Active during day bask in sunlight
 Position sunlamp at 1 end of enclosure, 1 meter
from water bath
 Check cage temp. carefully & frequently
(Image) Snake
Reptile Behavior II
 All reptiles periodically shed their skin
How completely, intact & often is health indicator
 Frequent sheds indicate healthy eating & growing
 Lizards, turtles & crocodilians shed many pieces
 Snakes normally shed in one piece, from nose to
tail, which is peeled off like a sock
 Sickness or inadequate humidity may cause a
reptile to shed in pieces or to be unable to shed
In the latter case, placing a snake in a bowl of warm
water aids shedding
(Image) Lizards
Reptile Husbandry
 Deviation from natural environment = stress
Reptile that eats in captivity is not unduly stressed &
has successfully adapted
Adaptation may require a few days for some species
or several weeks for others
 Stressed animals refuse to eat & die of starvation
 Goal to establish & maintain feeding behavior
 Wide-spectrum fluorescent light recommended
Thermal Gradient
 Ectothermic = unable to generate heat internally
body temp = surroundings
 Turtles & lizards - daily fluctuation in body temp
critical aspect of animals’ feeding mechanism
 Establish conditions that allow reptiles
thermoregulation
thermal gradient = a range of temp within cage
light bulb at one end of cage & an escape from
radiation in a shade or hide box at other end
 Establish the light system & monitor temps before
placing animal in cage
(Image) Turtle
Reptile Husbandry II
 Access to hiding places important for reptiles
 Tree limbs, rocks, logs, artificial plants & water
bath vessels simulate natural environment,
encourages normal hiding behavior
can contribute to diseases associated w/ poor hygiene
wash & autoclave to destroy accumulating organisms
 Glass aquariums house reptiles
 Securely fasten wire or screen cover
 Thermoregulation most important consideration
for cage size
Standard for snakes is one square meter per meter of
animal length
Reptile Husbandry III
 Burrowing reptiles require sand or soil
gravel can be substituted or mixed with soil or sand
 Floor covering should be 5 to 10 cm deep
 Most defecate 2 - 3 days after food intake
Clean cage after defecation but > 2 days after feeding
Disturbances close to feeding (before or after) may
cause food refusal or regurgitate recently eaten food
 Place water at ground level
Do not assume reptiles drink until observed
Many soak in containers if large enough
Lizards lap water from wetted surfaces
Daily misting is beneficial
(Image) Lizard
Reptile Diet
 Snakes are strictly carnivorous
 Prey swallowed whole
 Jaw & skull pliable for swallowing large prey
 Many, especially snakes, eat only live foods
Some, adapt to feeding on dead or parts of animals
Such foods should be frozen before feeding
 Environment & food must be warm enough to
stimulate feeding & to ensure proper digestion
 When feeding live food, observe, remain
motionless until strike occurs, then leave
 Do not leave live rodents unattended w/ snakes,
they could attack snakes
Reptile Diet II
 Lizards prone to ailments from inadequate diet &
vitamin deficiencies
Prevention - offer a wide variety of food
Supplement 1 - 2x / wk w/ vitamin & mineral powder
powder can be in food or drinking water
 Most lizards are principally insectivorous
 Optimal high body temp to achieve activity level
to capture live prey
 Vary type of insects, feed as much as will eat 2 3x / wk maintains body weight & normal growth
 Smaller, active species require more food, &
larger species become obese on a heavier diet
(Image) Snake
Reptile Diet III
 Large lizards usually carnivorous
diet of lean meat, raw eggs, & rodents, chicks &
sometimes fish
A few species are herbivorous
 Turtles are aquatic, amphibious or terrestrial
 Fresh water turtles:
both aquatic & amphibious
carnivorous, not necessarily living food
feed on meat, fish, & small animals
green leafy vegetation, supplemental nutrition
must feed in water deep enough to submerge while
swallowing
Reptile Diet IV
 Calcium essential for species fed boneless meat
 Allow turtles >2 hrs to eat before tank cleaned
 Some terrestrial turtles herbivorous & some
omnivorous
 Low fat dog food a substitute for red meat
More nutritionally complete & has better calcium to
phosphorus ratio
 Force-feeding reptiles only as last measure
mouth is opened w/ a finger or a soft utensil, food is
pushed to back of mouth
difficult to sustain a reptile by force-feeding
discourages natural feeding behavior
End of Part 1
 Please proceed to ALAT Chapter 29, part 2