SURVIVAL SURGERY

No matter what the species, survival procedures must be conducted under aseptic (sterile) conditions! Failure to observe aseptic surgical technique activates the immune response and may introduce bacteria into the site.

Requirements for All Survival Surgery (Aseptic Conditions)

wear sterile gloves
use sterilized instruments
prepare surgical site with povidone iodine and alcohol
(hair clip followed by three separate scrubs)
maintain sterile field until skin is closed
provide close supervision until animal is awake

All survival surgical procedures for vertebrates "higher" than rodents MUST BE conducted in the surgical suite located within University Animal Care or as approved by IACUC. The suite contains a surgical support area (where packs may be wrapped and autoclaved), an animal preparation area, a dressing area for the surgeons, an operating room and an area for post-operative recovery.

Survival surgery for rodents or "cold-blooded" animals may be conducted in the laboratory-but there MUST BE three, separate dedicated areas. There must be separate areas for preparing the animal (clip and scrub site), for the aseptic surgery, and for the post-operative recovery period.

Federal law allows survival, surgical procedures on all types of animals to be conducted in the field, provided they are performed under aseptic conditions.

Important Link: IACUC Approved Analgesics, Anesthetics & Sedatives

CARE FOLLOWING SURGERY:

Post-surgical care at the minimum requires that animals be observed until they have regained the "righting reflex", the "swallow reflex" and are breathing without support. An additional heat source is needed for mammals during the immediate post-operative period.

NON-SURVIVAL SURGERY:

Projects wherein animals of any species are anesthetized, surgically affected and euthanized at the end of the project (without ever regaining consciousness) may occur in the laboratory.

NO ANIMAL,WITHOUT SCIENTIFIC JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL BY IACUC, MAY BE USED FOR MORE THAN ONE PROTOCOL WHICH REQUIRES A SURVIVAL SURGERY, OR PRODUCES A PERMANENT HANDICAP. When an investigator believes that the scientific aims justify the use of an animal on multiple surgical protocols, that investigator must convince the IACUC that there is no alternative to such use.

EUTHANASIA:

Euthanasia means the humane killing of an animal by a method which produces rapid unconsciousness and subsequent death without evidence of pain or distress. Generally, the method of euthanasia for a given species must be consistent with the American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines on Euthanasia. Alternative methods can't be approved by the IACUC, unless the investigator provides sufficient scientific justification.

2007 AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia

IACUC Approved Euthanasia Methods by Species

Criteria for Moribundity

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Last updated: 01/02/08 gea