UT Southwestern IACUC Guideline IACUC # 135
Approval Date:_ 2/28/07 1 of 2
Guidelines for the Quantitative Assessment of Pain or Distress in Rodents
Rationale
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has the delegated responsibility and accountability for ensuring that all animals under their oversight are used humanely and in accordance with a number of Federal Regulations and policies.
Animals should be monitored for pain and distress as appropriate for the condition, procedure and degree of invasiveness. The following scale may be used to monitor pain and distress.
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BODY WEIGHT
0 Normal
1 < 10% weight loss
2 10 - 15 % weight loss, eating
3 > 20% weight loss, not eating
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APPEARANCE
0 Normal
1 Lack of grooming
2 Coat rough, possible nasal or ocular discharge
3 Coat very rough, abnormal posture, eyes sunken and glazed
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CLINICAL SIGNS
0 Normal
1 Diarrhea, constipation
2 Respiratory rate altered, respiratory depth altered, skin tents
3 Cyanotic extremities, labored breathing
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UNPROVOKED BEHAVIOR
0 Normal
1 Minor changes
2 Abnormal behavior, less mobile, less alert, inactive when activity expected
3 Paralysis, inability to remain upright, shivering, convulsion
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Total Score
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The overall score may be tabulated and used to help assess the status of each animal.
- A total score of 3 or less will be considered normal.
- A total score of 4-6 will indicate some evidence of pain or discomfort.
- A total score of 7-9 will suggest ample evidence of suffering with some type of amelioration indicated.
- A total score of 10-12 will be evidence of severe pain. Appropriate action must be taken after consultation and recommendation from the ARC.
- Any single score of 3 (severe) for an independent variable will automatically place the animal in the 7-9 category.
Applicability
These guidelines are applicable to animal protocols that cause more than minimal pain and distress to rodents used in research.
Additional Signs of Pain or Distress
Critical to the assessment of the presence or absence of pain or distress is having the ability to distinguish between normal and abnormal animal behavior. This is especially true when dealing with rodents which often exhibit pain and distress with only subtle changes in their behavior. A reference guide for these changes in behavior can be found below.
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Condition description
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Mice
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Rats
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Decreased Food and Water Consumption
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X
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X
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Weight loss
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X
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X
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Self-imposed isolation/hiding
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X
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X
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Self-mutilation, gnawing at limbs
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X
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X
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Rapid Breathing
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X
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X
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Open-Mouth Breathing
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X
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X
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Abdominal Breathing
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X
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X
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Grinding Teeth
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X
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Biting/Growling/Agression
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X
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Increased/Decreased Movement
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X
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X
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Unkempt Appearance (Erected, Matted, or Dull Haircoat)
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X
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X
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Abnormal Posture/Positioning (e.g., Head-pressing, hunched back)
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X
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X
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Tearing (including Porphyria), Lack of Blinking reflex
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X
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Muscle Rigidity, Lack of Muscle Tone
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X
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X
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Dehydration/Skin Tenting/Sunken Eyes
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X
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X
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Twitching, trembling, tremor
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X
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X
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Vocalization (rare)
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X
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X
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Redness or Swelling Around Surgical Site
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X
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X
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Increased Salivation
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X
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X
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Contact Information:
For any additional questions please contact the IACUC Manager at 5-6420.
