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STANDARD EUTHANASIA GUIDELINES FOR RODENTS
(revised July 2004)
General Considerations:
- Euthanasia techniques must be consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia, June 2007. Methods are chosen to minimize
animal pain and distress consistent with needs of the research
protocol.
- The method of euthanasia must be specified in the approved
Institutional Animal Care and Use (IACUC) protocol. Any chemical
euthanasia method must be followed by a physical method from
which the animal cannot recover such as decapitation, cervical
dislocation, bilateral thoracotomy, tissue perfusion, or dissecting
of a major organ
- Use of anesthetic for euthanasia must be an overdose,
not an anesthetic dose. Regardless of amount of chemical administered,
animal must be completely non-responsive to noxious stimuli
(hind paw pinch) before any physical means are applied.
- Sodium pentobarbital and ketamine are controlled substances
and must be maintained according to the UCSF
Controlled Substances Program
- Physical methods of euthanasia such as decapitation
or cervical dislocation of unanesthetized animals require demonstration
of competence, and may be approved with proper justification
in the IACUC protocol.
- The techniques listed below are suggested
common methods for euthanasia of rodents. Other methods outlined
in the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia are acceptable with proper justification
in the approved IACUC protocol.
Techniques:
Mice > 8 days old
- Intraperitoneal injection of at least 200 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital
euthanasia solution, or other anesthetic at an overdose.
Pentobarbital is best diluted to a concentration of no more
than 60 mg/ml. Intraperitoneal injection must be followed by
cervical dislocation, decapitation, bilateral thoracotomy, or
other physical means from which an animal could not recover,
after the animal has been determined to be non-responsive to
noxious stimuli.
- Inhalation of CO2 from a pressurized tank in an uncrowded chamber (a standard size mouse cage may contain no more than 5 mice) followed by cervical dislocation, decapitation or bilateral
thoracotomy. The regulator for the CO2 tank should be turned no higher
than 6 psi.
Animals must be left in the chamber for a sufficient time
(4 or 5 minutes) so that complete asphyxia has been attained. Whenever
possible euthanize
mice in their home cage to minimize the stress of being handled
and placed into an unfamiliar enclosure.
Mice < 8 days old
- It is acceptable to place neonates in
a CO2 chamber for 4-5 minutes first to anesthetize them, then
follow with decapitation. Alternatively, rapid decapitation
with sharp scissors may be performed. Remove all other live
mice from workspace when performing this procedure.
- Intraperitoneal
injection of at least 200 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital euthanasia
solution. Pentobarbital should be diluted to a concentration
of no more than 60 mg/ml. After testing for response to painful
stimuli, follow with cervical dislocation, decapitation,
bilateral thoracotomy, or other physical means from which an
animal could
not recover.
- Inhalation of CO2: Place neonates in a single
layer in a mouse cage. Place cage in chamber, and fill
with CO2 for 4 or 5 minutes. Leave animals in the chamber for
at least one half hour. After one half hour, test for response
to painful stimuli, then place in a bag and freeze. Note:
this
procedure may not be done in facilities where a freezer
(-10
degrees C) is not available.
Rats and Hamsters
- Intraperitoneal injection of at least
200 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital euthanasia solution. This is
best diluted to a concentration of no more than 60 mg./ml.
Intraperitoneal injection must be followed by cervical dislocation,
decapitation, bilateral thoracotomy, or other physical means
from which an animal could not recover after the animal has
been determined to be non-responsive to noxious stimuli.
- Inhalation of CO2 from a pressurized tank in an uncrowded
chamber, followed by cervical dislocation, decapitation or
bilateral thoracotomy. The regulator for the CO2 tank should be turned
no higher than 6 psi. Animals must be left in the chamber
for a sufficient time (4 or 5 minutes) so that complete asphyxia
has been attained. Whenever possible euthanize rats and hamsters
in their home cage to minimize the stress of being handled
and placed into an unfamiliar enclosure.
Guinea pigs
- Sedate animal (ketamine/xylazine is commonly used).
Once deeply sedated (5 - 10 minutes after injection), inject
at least 200 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital euthanasia solution
intraperitoneally. This must be followed by bilateral thoracotomy
or other physical means from which an animal could not recover
recover after the animal has been determined to be non-responsive
to noxious stimuli.
- Inhalation of CO2 from a pressurized
tank in an uncrowded chamber, followed by cervical dislocation,
decapitation or bilateral thoracotomy. The regulator for
the CO2 tank should be turned no higher than 6 psi. Animals
must be left in the chamber for a sufficient time (4 or 5 minutes)
so that complete asphyxia has been attained. Whenever possible
euthanize guinea pigs in their home cage to minimize the
stress of being handled and placed into an unfamiliar enclosure.
Disposal:
The UCSF Biosafety Committee requires that all
animal carcasses, tissues or organs contaminated with infectious
agents be discarded in biohazard bags. Due to the difficulty of
determining the infective status of most carcasses, the UCSF policy
is to treat all carcasses as infected and they must be put in
red biohazard bags. The sealed bags must be stored in waterproof
containers in designated cold rooms or freezers until removed
by the animal waste management contractors. Do not place
the red bags in dirty cages being transported to the cage wash
facility. Contact the Laboratory Animal Research Center
(LARC) at 476-2204 for any information regarding carcass disposal.
Training: Only trained individuals should perform euthanasia.
Training is provided in individual or group workshops through
the IACUC Training and Compliance.
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