Euthanasia

Euthanasia of neonatal rats and mice using carbon monoxide

Minimization of potential pain and distress of rodents undergoing euthanasia is a touchstone of veterinary clinical medicine. Evaluation of this issue in postweanling rodents has supported revisions to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) Guidelines on Euthanasia in 2020. However,...

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hickman, D. L. 2023. Euthanasia of neonatal rats and mice using carbon monoxide. JAALAS 62(3), 274–278.

Comparison of fixed and rising displacement rates of CO2 for euthanasia of aged rats

This study compared euthanasia induced by rising concentrations of CO2 in aged rats (n = 59) using different gas displacement rates. Rats were preimplanted with cardiovascular telemetry devices and had been previously used for short term safety pharmacology studies. Once...

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: McNamara, A., Ballantine, A. R., Deuchande, R. et al. 2023. Comparison of fixed and rising displacement rates of CO2 for euthanasia of aged rats. JAALAS 62(5), 453–463.

Investigation of potassium chloride for euthanasia of anesthetized African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)

Euthanasia is frequently performed in amphibians, but techniques are currently limited in number and variable in effectiveness. The current study examined the use of potassium chloride (KCl) for euthanasia of anesthetized African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). Twenty adult, female African...

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: Olagbaju, T. T., Troan, B. V., Balko, J. A. 2023. Investigation of potassium chloride for euthanasia of anesthetized African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). JAALAS 62(4), 362–369.

Use of loss of righting reflex to assess susceptibility to carbon dioxide gas in three mouse strains

Exposure to CO2 gas is a common rodent euthanasia method. CO2 activates nociceptors in rats and is painful to humans at concentrations equal to or greater than 32.5% The concentration of CO2 at which rodents become unconsciousness is inadequately defined....

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Munro, B. A., Merenick, D. R., Gee, J. M. et al. 2023. Use of loss of righting reflex to assess susceptibility to carbon dioxide gas in three mouse strains. JAALAS 62(6), 553–558.

The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals (9th ed.)

The latest edition of the seminal reference on the care and management of laboratory and research animals. The newly revised ninth edition of The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals delivers an up-to-date...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Euthanasia, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Relocation & Transport, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Cephalopod, Crustacean, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Invertebrate, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mole Rat, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Bird, Other Fish, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Sheep, Snake, Tree Shrew, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Golledge, H., Richardson, C. (Eds.) 2024. The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals (9th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. 1040 p.

Report of the 2022 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group Meeting

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group has held a one-day meeting every autumn for the last 29 years, so that its members can discuss current welfare research, exchange views on welfare issues and share experiences of the implementation of the 3Rs...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental Enrichment, Euthanasia, HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Other Rodent, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Stevens, C., Hammonds, T., Hinchcliffe, J. et al. 2023. Report of the 2022 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group Meeting. Animal Technology and Welfare 22(2), 91–100.

Evaluation of targeted injections of ivermectin or potassium chloride for euthanasia of anesthetized thorny devil stick insects (Eurycantha calcarata)

Insects are commonly utilized in biomedical research and have become increasingly popular in museum collections and as pets. Despite this, objective evaluation of insect euthanasia is scarce. This study investigated the effectiveness of targeted injections of ivermectin or potassium chloride...

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Insect & Spider, Invertebrate

Citation: Heniff, A. C., Gorges, M. A., Lewbart, G. A. et al. 2023. Evaluation of targeted injections of ivermectin or potassium chloride for euthanasia of anesthetized thorny devil stick insects (Eurycantha calcarata). Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 4(1), 231–239.

Euthanasia complications in non-domestic species

There are very few studies describing euthanasia complications in non-domestic species. The goal of this study was to survey veterinarians to determine what complications may commonly occur during the euthanasia of non-domestic species. An online survey was sent to seven...

Year Published: 2022Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Amphibian, Bird, Fish, Marine Mammal, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Bird, Other Fish, Parrot, Reptile, Shark & Ray

Citation: Hepps Keeney, C., Harrison, T. M. 2022. Euthanasia complications in non-domestic species. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 3(4), 616–623.

Thermal response of laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) during the application of six methods of euthanasia assessed by infrared thermography

Refinement is one of the principles aiming to promote welfare in research animals. The techniques used during an experimental protocol, including euthanasia selection, must prevent and minimize suffering. Although the current euthanasia methods applied to laboratory rodents are accepted, the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Domínguez-Oliva, A., Hernández-Ávalos, I., Olmos-Hernández, A. et al. 2023. Thermal response of laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) during the application of six methods of euthanasia assessed by infrared thermography. Animals 13(18), 2820.

Rat grimace scale as a method to evaluate animal welfare, nociception, and quality of the euthanasia method of wistar rats

Refinement of experimental procedures in animal research has the objective of preventing and minimizing pain/distress in animals, including the euthanasia period. This study aimed to evaluate pain associated with six methods of euthanasia in Wistar rats (injectable, inhalational, and physical),...

Year Published: 2023Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Domínguez-Oliva, A., Olmos-Hernández, A., Hernández-Ávalos, I. et al. 2023. Rat grimace scale as a method to evaluate animal welfare, nociception, and quality of the euthanasia method of wistar rats. Animals 13(20), 3161.