Question 1:
How do you assess pain or stress in the following laboratory animals: Rabbits, rats/mice, pigs and fish/frogs?
Assessing pain or stress in animals is very important task before going to do research on laboratory animals. Actually animals are like human being, so they have pain (as they have nervous system which can allow the animal to feel). When researchers think about to apply a method on laboratory animals, they should assess the activity (physiological and behavioral) of animals to different condition and elements which would be applied in the method. The score parameters (scoring different parameters based on animal type) method can be used to measure the level of pain tolerance of an animal. Actually it can get result by observing animal behavior and activity relating to pain. The scoring parameters may vary from animal to animal. If we consider rabbits as for our laboratory animal, then we should take standing, movement, swelling, status of operated limb, behavior, body temperature, appearance of incision site etc as scoring parameters for pain. We can make score then we can measure the score of pain for rabbits in case of particular research procedure. As for rats/mice the parameters can be body weight, lameness, appearance, arthritis score etc for arthritic study. If we take large animals like pigs then we can consider these parameters like comfort, movement, flock behavior, feeding behavior, respiratory rate, palpation soreness and range of motion soreness, soft tissue swelling, joint effusion and heat etc as for measuring pain for particular study. In case of aquatic organisms like fish and frogs we take common parameters like activity, feeding behaviour, respiratory rate (suffocation) etc. The scoring number can define by the researchers. They may take standard number for best condition and worst condition. Then they will take the score by observing the animals based on different parameters which have relation with pain. The level of pain may depend on different level of nervous system. Pain reflex in one kind of reaction from the nervous system. Suppose a researcher may take an experiment on rat. He/ she tried to measure the level of pain tolerance of rat for perticular study like warm light ray on rat’s tail. He/she can measure the duration of tolerance. It can help to take analgesic treatment on the animal. Another point from nervous system is pain senstaion where physiological response can act as parameter for the pain. When the pain becomes severe and chronic, the animal may suffer the pain for long time. But activity for pain may not be appeared every time (as the animal can manage the pain by its own way), it may appear some of the time during research. So, researcher should identify that time and remedy of the pain should be identified.Thus pain or stress can be assessed in laboratory animals which is very important before conducting experiment in laboratory.
Question 2:
Describe at least 10 ways of how you can implement the 3Rs in a research situation.
Now a day, 3Rs (Replacement, Refinement and Reduction) are very important thing to consider before making laws and rules about the animal welfare and animal experiments. Actually these three terms could show how animals can be experimented (in a way that the required number of animals can be lowered or conducting alternative experiment without using animals). We can describe these three methods (with possible way of implementing) in the following ways:
Replacement:
This term is stand for those alternative methods which can be conducted without using animals (where animals were used).
1. If we consider a research situation like insulin test in human body. Previously animals like mice and rabbits were used for this purpose. But chromatography can be used to test whether insulin is good for human body.
2. If we consider an experiment where interaction of elements on the cell will be observed. Then we can use cell (instead of animal) and then observing the effect of elements on that particular cell.
3. Sometimes we want to know the effect drugs on parasites which affect host animals. In case of endo-parasites we have to make special culturing environment. So, we can conduct this research without using the host animals.
4. From the genomics and proteomics database we can know the information about the disease, so we may not need to conduct on animals for getting information about the disease.
Refinement:
This term includes those methods which can reduce or remove the level of pain or stress during experiment.
5. We can reduce or remove pain during a research by applying some modern techniques like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Position Emission Tomography (PET) scan etc. We can also use x-ray techniques and biophotonic scan technique to conduct a research instead of direct conducting on (which can involve in pain forming) animals.
6. Sometimes wireless technology can be used to get information of the animal body.
7. Researchers can use anaesthesia and euthanasia in a best way that animal would not feel pain during experiments.
8. Animals should be kept in better places to protect from stress or pain.
Reduction:
It indicates the reduction of animals for research but with more or same (like previous where more animals were used) information or results of the research.
9. If we use biophotonic technology in a research situation, then it can reduce the utilization of animals (as we can get information from one animal).
10. We can use some statistical methods and other computational methods (like bioinformatics) to get results (precise and more information) during research. So, it can reduce the animals using for a research situation.
Question 3:
Describe the criteria that you are required by law to fulfill before you can perform an animal experiment.
Before going to do an animal experiment it is required to fulfill some criteria. Some educational knowledge about the animal and its welfare should be required. For this reason it is required to take some courses which should involve some theoretical and practical activities which could give some ideas about the animal and experiment. From that course (which is prerequisite) some basic and important information can be learnt like why animals are used for research, why should we need knowledge about animal welfare, ethical knowledge and issues etc. After taking the course one can learn how to handle the animals properly, ethical issues about animal experiment, how to conduct research, respect about the laws, respect the animals (as living thing) etc. The course may take more than one year (may be 2 years). Before conducting an animal experiment it is required to submit the project (including procedure) to the responsible authorities and then it is required to get approval from the authorities. Supervisor will be required to supervise the whole research project. In the project it should be included the benefits of the research, it should be followed by the rules and legislations, the goal of the research etc. Alternative methods should be known (studying on 3Rs).
Question 4:
Describe and motivate at least 3 important considerations when housing each of the following laboratory animals: Rabbits, rats, mice, pigs and fish/frogs.
Housing is very important thing for animals. It may differ based on different species (as different species have different characteristics). So, before going to housing animal some considerations should be required which are described below based on different species:
Rabbits:
Rabbits can be housed both in in-door and out-door. It can be trained like other animals (like cat) to use litter box. So, litter box can be placed in the way of elimination for rabbits (or in the enclosure). Food dish and water should be kept as a way that rabbits could get easily. They could get fear easily (they are wary animals). So, it needs to put some hiding area for them. They are sensitive to the temperature also. So, it also required to protect them from hazardous weather for them.
Rats:
As rats are nocturnal animals, they should not be housed in that place where direct sunlight could not be conducted. Rats have chewing behaviour, so metal cages are commonly used for their housing. Rats are sensitive to dust, so it should be avoided. They are sensitive to sound and they may give response during isolation.
Mice:
Mice have aggressive behaviour. So, it should be required special care when more than one mouse is kept in one cage. Mice could not tolerate sudden temperature change, so it should be maintained. The house should have proper are to move and for other purposes (like breeding).
Pigs:
They are smart animal, so they can be trained to use the litter box. They have short legs (commonly), so the litter box height should not be more enough. As pigs are strong animals, so the wall for the house should be strong enough that pigs could not break down. They like to play with mud, so muddy place can be placed into the housing area (but it should be maintained that the area could not be dirty place). Supply of fresh drinking water should be available. The housing area should be big enough that pigs can move easily.
Fish/Frogs:
As aquatic animals fish/frogs require aquatic tank with proper volume of water with sufficient elements for living. The tank size should be good enough to move and contain water properly. The tank should have proper filtration and cleaning facilities. Lighting should be available in the tank. Temperature is very important consideration for aquatic tank as it may differ based on different fish/frogs species.
From the above discussions we can easily get idea that housing is very important thing for animal which depends on species type.
