Lab Animals

Commonly Used Laboratory Animals
Mice Zebrafish
Rats
Hamsters Dogs
Guinea Pigs
Rabbits Non-Human Primates
- Macaques
Popular Laboratory Animal Species
because..
Respond well to handling
Inexpensive to keep
Easily maintained
Short life spans
Small size; can store a large population in a small area
Prolific breeders with short reproductive cycles and gestation
periods
Well-defined anatomically and physiologically
Suited for a range of research endeavors
Possess great genetic diversity; genome sequenced
Mouse Rat Syrian Hamsters Guinea Pig Rabbit
Rattus Mesocricetus Oryctolagus
Scientific Name Mus musculus norvegicus auratus Cavia porcellus cuniculus
Lifespan/yrs 1.5 - 3 2.5 - 3.5 2 3 years 4 6 years 57

M: 7 weeks M: 2 months M: 6 8 wks M: 3 4 mths
Puberty 5 7 months
F: 6 weeks F: 3 months F: 8 12 wks F: 2 3 mths
Ovulation Spontaneous Spontaneous Spontaneous Spontaneous Induced ovulation
Gestation Length 19 21 days 21 23 days 15 18 days 59 72 days 30 33 days
Litter size 10 - 12 6 - 12 4 - 12 3-5 7-8

37.0 - 37.2C 37.5 - 38C 36.2 - 37.5C 37.2 - 39.5C 38 - 39.5C
Temperature/C
(98.8 99.3F) (99.5 100.4F) ( 97.2 - 100.4F) (99.3 103.1F) ( 100.4- 103.1F)
Pulse beats/ min 500 - 600 260 - 450 280 - 412 130 - 190 130 - 325
Respiration
breaths /min
100 - 250 70 - 150 100 - 250 90 - 150 32 - 60
Normal Physiological Parameters

Chromodacryorrhea
Aka Red tears
Porphyrin
red pigment produced by the Harderian gland
(located at the lateral canthus of the eyes)
Usually groomed away by healthy animal
Indication of stress, illness and animal not grooming
adequately
Behavioural & Clinical Signs of Pain
General:
Small Rodents
Mild Signs:
back-arching absence of nest building,
Quiet but mobile after stimulation
cannabalism of offspring, altered group
behaviours Lack of grooming, mild porphyrin
staining
G. pig
Weight loss of <5%
unusually quiet (not stampeding, no
whistles for food) Minor depression
Rabbits
Head pressing, teeth grinding,
aggressive, increased vocalzations,
excessive licking and scratching,
reluctance to move
Excessive salivation; hunched posture;
rapid shallow respiration; Decreased
food/water consumption
Behavioural & Clinical Signs of Pain
Moderate Signs Severe Signs

Roughened hair coat, piloerection Very roughened hair coat, ungroomed
Porphyrin staining of nose and eyes Severe porphyin staining
Weight loss 10 15% Eyes pale, shunken, squinted with discharge
Responsive only after moderate Weight loss 20%
stimulation Anorexic, hunched, lethargic, inactive
Hunched posture, sitting Profound hypothermia
Hypothermia Vocalizations
Shallow respirations Abnormal gait, Incoordination, Lameness
Licking, scratching of painful area Self-mutilation
Restlessness Twitching, tremors, writhing
Twitching, tremors, lameness Shallow respiration with visible effect
Bruxism, teeth chattering
Malocclusions
Diarrhea or Vent Staining
Pododermatitis
Aka Sore Hocks

in Rabbits
Tumours, Masses, Abscesses
Abscess in Rabbits
Mammary tumour
Rats Benign
Mice - Malignant
Differences Between Rats & Mice
Feature Baby Rat Adult Mouse
Short, stubby, broad, large relative Small, triangular, small relative to
Head
to body body
Muzzle Large and blunt with wide muzzle Narrow with sharp muzzle
Ears Ears are small relative to the head Ears are large relative to the head
Tail Thick Thin
Tail/body ratio Tail shorter than body Tail same length/longer than body
Large relative to body, especially

Feet Small relative to body
the hind feet
Weight ~100 g at 6 wks, 200 g at 8 wks 30-50 grams

Sexing of Mice and Rats
Need Ruler
Anogenital distance
- Males longer
- Females shorter
Sexually mature males
- presence of testicular sac
Sexing of Mice
Male longer
anogenital distance Female shorter
anogenital distance
Sexing of Rats
Male longer
Female shorter
anogenital distance
anogenital distance
Sexing Hamsters
Anogenital distance
- longer in males
- shorter in females
Presence of testicular sac
- sac changes body conformation
Sexing of Hamsters
Male Female
Longer anogenital distance, Shorter anogenital distance, 6 pairs

testicles of nipples
Males have an os penis
Sexing Guinea Pigs
Male caulifower; i
(Rhyme males gives flowers to females)
Female triangle or V
Sexing of Guinea Pigs
Female Male
Sexing Rabbits
Use your forefinger and middle finger
to press down the vent area
Doe (female)
- a slit or central line running up and down; sides
of the slit will be banded in pink.
Buck (male)
- If less than 5 weeks old, a blunt white tube
without a central line
- If older than 5 wks old, a pink tube with a
pointed end that resembles a bullet.
Sexing of Rabbits
Male Female
Urine of Rabbits
From cloudy white to brick red precipitate
Droppings of Rabbits
2 types of droppings:
1. Normal Hard circular droppings
2. Caecotrophs softer faeces; eaten directly from the anus
Normal in rabbits Night Faeces
High in proteins and Vitamins, esp. Vitamin B
Seeds the cecum with microflora

Lab Animals

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Lab Animals

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Commonly Used Laboratory Animals

Lifespan/yrs 1.5 - 3 2.5 - 3.5 2 3 years 4 6 years 57

Ovulation Spontaneous Spontaneous Spontaneous Spontaneous Induced ovulation

Gestation Length 19 21 days 21 23 days 15 18 days 59 72 days 30 33 days

Litter size 10 - 12 6 - 12 4 - 12 3-5 7-8

Normal Physiological Parameters

Moderate Signs Severe Signs

Aka Sore Hocks

Tail Thick Thin

Large relative to body, especially

Weight ~100 g at 6 wks, 200 g at 8 wks 30-50 grams

Longer anogenital distance, Shorter anogenital distance, 6 pairs

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