ALAT Animal Health and Welfare 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best explains why social housing is preferred for gregarious laboratory animals such as mice and rabbits?
- It reduces the cost of cage supplies and bedding
- Social contact meets behavioral needs, reduces stress, and improves overall welfare (Correct answer)
- Single housing prevents the spread of disease more effectively
- Group housing allows easier individual identification
Correct answer: Social contact meets behavioral needs, reduces stress, and improves overall welfare
Gregarious species have evolved to live in social groups, and social housing fulfills behavioral needs, reduces stress hormones, and improves welfare outcomes.
Question 2: A technician notes that a mouse has an ulcerative skin lesion on its neck region. Considering common laboratory mouse conditions, this is most suggestive of:
- Ringworm (dermatophytosis)
- Fighting wounds or barbering-related ulcerative dermatitis (Correct answer)
- Scurvy from vitamin C deficiency
- Contact allergy to cage plastic
Correct answer: Fighting wounds or barbering-related ulcerative dermatitis
Ulcerative dermatitis on the neck and shoulders of mice frequently results from repeated scratching, often linked to barbering or fighting within the cage.
Question 3: Which of the following statements about euthanasia of laboratory animals is CORRECT?
- Any method that results in death is acceptable regardless of the animal's experience
- Euthanasia methods must be consistent with the AVMA Guidelines and approved by the IACUC (Correct answer)
- Cervical dislocation is universally approved without IACUC review for all species
- Euthanasia decisions are left entirely to the individual technician's discretion
Correct answer: Euthanasia methods must be consistent with the AVMA Guidelines and approved by the IACUC
The AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals provide the scientific basis, and all methods must be IACUC-approved to ensure they are humane and appropriate.
Question 4: An Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is required by federal policy to include which of the following members?
- A licensed pharmacist and a biostatistician
- At least one veterinarian, one scientist, one non-scientist, and one member unaffiliated with the institution (Correct answer)
- Only research scientists with active animal protocols
- A representative from the FDA and one from the USDA
Correct answer: At least one veterinarian, one scientist, one non-scientist, and one member unaffiliated with the institution
Federal regulations (PHS Policy and AWA) mandate that the IACUC include a veterinarian, a practicing scientist, a non-scientist, and a community member not affiliated with the institution.
Question 5: Post-operative monitoring of a rodent after surgery should include all of the following EXCEPT:
- Assessment of respiratory rate and quality
- Monitoring body temperature to prevent hypothermia
- Evaluating wound healing and incision integrity
- Immediately returning the animal to a group cage with cage mates (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Immediately returning the animal to a group cage with cage mates
Post-surgical animals must recover in a separate, warm environment with monitoring before being returned to group housing to prevent injury from cage mates.
Question 6: Which of the following is a sign of acute pain in a non-human primate (NHP)?
- Increased social grooming with cage mates
- Brow ridging, self-clasping, and reduced movement (Correct answer)
- Increased food consumption and weight gain
- Brightly colored facial skin indicating good perfusion
Correct answer: Brow ridging, self-clasping, and reduced movement
NHPs in acute pain commonly exhibit facial grimacing including brow ridging, withdrawal behaviors such as self-clasping, and reduced locomotion.
Question 7: What is the primary welfare concern associated with single housing of socially obligate species in a research setting?
- Increased risk of cage flooding from water bottles
- Psychological distress, abnormal repetitive behaviors, and compromised immune function (Correct answer)
- Difficulty maintaining appropriate room temperature
- Reduced accuracy in weight measurements
Correct answer: Psychological distress, abnormal repetitive behaviors, and compromised immune function
Single housing of social animals can cause chronic stress, stereotypies, and immune suppression, all of which harm welfare and can confound research data.
ALAT Animal Health and Welfare 5
Which of the following best explains why social housing is preferred for gregarious laboratory animals such as mice and rabbits?