HANDLING OF ANIMALS (Activity No.1)

BIOPHARMACEUTICS PRACTICALS

Activity No 1:

To understand the handling of animals (rabbits, rats and mice)

·        Animals

·        Gloves and masks

·        Animal restrainers

·        Sharp razor/blade

·        Cotton ball

·        Alcohol swab

1.1       Introduction

Experimental data from animals is required in pharmacokinetics. The environment may affect the research findings. Frightened, mishandled or environmentally stressed animals may not present the same values of blood parameters as that given by the properly handled animals. Thus, proper environmental conditions are necessary for experimentation. Furthermore, environmental acclimatization is necessary prior to the real experimentation on animals. In acclimatization, the animals should be housed in acceptable environment which should be maintained throughout the experimentation duration. The housing should be un-congested and so that the animals housing facility could be cleaned. Animal cages with reasonable space are suitable for housing of rabbits or other animals in the animal house.

Picking of rabbits

Rabbits are prone to trick their legs thus, require precautionary measures. Thus, rabbits are handled firmly but gently. Figure 1.1 A shows the way to take the rabbit from its cage in animal house. A rabbit is picked up by a firm grip on the loose skin over the neck with one hand and with the other hand, support the animal hind quarters and control the back leg movements (Figure 1.1 B and 1.1 C).

Do not pick the rabbit by loin area to avoid violent thrashing and back injuries to rabbits during handling.

Restraining of rabbits

For the purpose of pharmacokinetic manipulations (dosing and sampling), restraining of rabbits is required to control the rabbit body while exposing of ears as shown in Figure 1.1 D.

Handling of Rats and Mice

Being smaller than rabbits, the rats and mouse can be brought to the laboratory along with their combined restrainer. However, for manipulation, they are needed to shift from the combined restrainer to the individual restrainer. Since the rats and particularly mice can bite on hand or fingers during handling, always were glove to handle them. The rats can be held by gripping its head by index and middle finger. Put the fore left limb in between thumb and the index finger and the right limb is held in between the middle finger and the ring finger. The way for handling of rat is given in Figure 1.2 A.

Hold the mice from the back from the loose skin on the neck with the help of thumb and index finger as shown in figure 1.2 B. Rates or mice can be picked up from the tail as well and then are griped from the neck.

Restraining  of Rats and Mice

In case of mouse or rats, the tails are required to be exposed during restraining them. The restrainers are designed so that the tail could be manipulated with ease. Depending upon the type of manipulations, the animals can be restrained as shown in Figure 1.2 C and 1.2 D.