Their methods of handling Experimental animals & Their methods of handling

:Introduction In pharmacological research animals are used to test the effect of drugs before their introduction to clinical trials Animals are used in educational institutions to demonstrate the drugs for teaching purposes

Experimental animals should always be Suitably bred Gently handled Properly used Researchers &Experimenters are ethically & legally responsible for Careful handling of animals in such manner that they do not suffer from unnecessary pain. Providing a good care towards the health & well being of the animals.

Selection of an experimental animal for a particular experiment depend on: Nature of experiment Type of drug activity to be evaluated Specific characters of the experimental animal. Experiment Drug Animal

Use whole intact animal Animals can be used in: In vitro In vivo Use part of animal -organ -tissue -cells Use whole intact animal

Experimental Animals can be used : Large animals small animals monkeys pigs dogs cats Mice rats guinea pigs rabbits frogs

1.Albino Mice Characteristics: 1.Mice are small lab. Animals wt. about 18-30g. 2. They are very sensitive & consume small doses of drugs 3. They can be easily handled. 4. Drugs are best injected I.P. or I.V. into one of their superficial veins

1.Albino Mice Uses in Research: 1.In cancer & genetic research. 2. In acute toxicity studies 3. In screening of various drug activities specially CNS activity

1.Albino Mice Proper method of Handling 1.The mouse is lifted from its tail with the right hand 2. The animal is allowed to grip the wire mesh of the cage with its fore legs 3. The animal is grasped from the nap of the neck between the thumb & index finger 4. The tail is then transferred from the right to the left hand in between the small & fingers

As soon as the mouse’s head is restrained, the mouse can be picked up and the tail secured within your ring finger and little finger

The injection site should be in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen because vital organs are absent from this area. Only the tip of the needle should penetrate the abdominal wall to prevent injection into the intestine.

Blood Collection From Tail in Mouse Placing a mouse on a cage lid and grasping the loose skin behind the ears by the thumb and forefinger

Push the mouse into the restrainer

Leave the tail of the mouse outside the cover of the restrainer

Amputate the tip of the mouse tail by scissors

Massage the tail and collect blood by pipetteman

2.Albino Rats Characteristics: 1. Rats have a larger wt. than mice (about 300-500g) 2. They can withstand long periods of experimentation under anesthesia. 3. They can be easily handled. 4. Drugs are best injected I.P. or I.M. or S.C. or I.V. into their tail veins.. 5. They can be also given drugs orally by a stomach tube 6. Isolated preparations can be taken from them.(stomach, fundus, colon, & uterus

2.Albino Rats Uses in Research: In acute & chronic toxicity studies In preliminary testing of some drugs activities specially CNS activity ex. Rats are used for testing psychotropic activity of drugs since they can be trained to perform skillful tasks

2.Albino Rats Proper method of Handling 1.The rat is grasped from its tail. 2. Its placed on a hard surface. 3. The left hand is slipped over the rat`s back & is move toward the head 4. The thumb finger is then sledded under the rat chin 5. The right front paw of the rat is restrained between the base of the thumb & the index finger 6. The body is continuously kept tight by holding the tail.

Blood Collection From Tail in rats Optimal site of blood withdrawal is around the distal one-third of the tail since this part of tail gives better visualization of the veins

Disinfect the tail with 75% alcoholic cotton ball

When the needle penetrates the epithelium of the tail, pull back the plugger a bit to create negative pressure inside the syringe, then push the needle in the vein slowly until blood get into the dead space of the needle head

Pull back the plugger by the ring finger to withdraw blood from the tail vein

4.The Rabbit Characteristics: 1. Rabbits are very docile animals 2. They can be easily injected I.V. into their marginal veins 3. They can be also given drugs orally by a stomach tube

Insert needle into the ear vein with needle tip surface face up

Apply clip on the top of the cotton ball for 2-3 minutes to stop further bleeding

4.The Rabbit Uses in Research: 1.In pyrogen testing of drugs 2. To study the effect of drugs on the eye, CVS , ANS & NMJ. 3. Some isolated muscle preparationa are also taken from rabbits, e.g. intestine

4.The Rabbit Proper method of Handling Rabbits should never be lifted from their ears: this will cause pain to animals. Rabbits are grasped with the left hand from their loose skin at the nap of the neck. The buttocks are placed on the right hand & the animal is made closer to the body of the experimenter