Animal Care and Use Committee

Policy # 4
Approved October 1997
Amended January 2001

 

Clinical Records for Laboratory Animals

References

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, NRC, 1996

http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/

Animal Welfare Regulations (9 CFR, chapter I, subchapter A, Parts 1-4)

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm

Policy

All animals that are expected to survive experimental or clinical procedures must have a readily available written record, which minimally includes:

1. a description of the procedure
   
2. observed physiological changes
   
3. the dose, route, time, and date of any drugs administered
   
4. the final disposition of the animal (i.e., euthanized, transferred, found dead)
   This record must be readily available to the Animal Care and Use Committee, veterinary staff, and representatives of regulatory and accrediting organizations. Notes must completed in a timely manner.

Role of the Investigator

The investigator must make written notations of any non-terminal procedure performed, drugs administered, results of clinically relevant laboratory tests, and pertinent observations of the animals' condition.

 

Non-rodent mammals (e.g., dogs, cats, monkeys, rabbits, pigs): these notations should be entered in the individual animal's clinical record

 

Groups of identically treated rodents and non-mammalian vertebrates: these notations may be for the collective groups and the animals identified by marks or codes on their cage cards or by other means. Animals identified only by groups may have their clinical records kept in any well organized manner.

 

Rodents that are individually treated should have individual animal records; or if their history is simple it may be recorded on the cage card.

Role of the Veterinary Staff and Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR)

The veterinary clinical staff will maintain a system of clinical records and initiate individual clinical records for all dogs, cats, and monkeys; and also for those rabbits and pigs which have experimental procedures performed from which they will recover. The clinical staff will make written notations of any veterinary clinical procedure performed, drugs administered, results of laboratory tests, and pertinent observations of the animals' condition. The veterinary staff will coordinate with the investigative staff to mesh the written records made by each in an efficient and convenient way.

ACUC Oversight

The ACUC shall periodically review records and procedures for compliance to this policy.

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List of ACUC Policies