Part I: Introduction to ULAM Animal Room Procedures

1
Part I Introduction to ULAM Animal Room
Procedures

• Presented By
• The Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine
• Training Core

2
Course Topics

• Structure of ULAM husbandry staff
• Rodent caging, food, water and transport
• Animal Identification
• Cage Cards and Barcodes
• Methods of communication in the animal room
• Acetates
• Dead animal log
• Veterinary care program
• Micro-Isolation technique
• Rodent health surveillance program
• Contamination types and door postings

3
Structure of ULAM husbandry staff
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Animal Husbandry

• Each animal facility has a supervisor that
  manages the animal care staff and facility
• Each room has assigned animal care staff person.
• Contact information should be available on the
  room entry sheet
• Weekend and holiday staff rotates

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Animal Husbandry

• Husbandry or animal care staff provide the
  following services
• Daily care to animals
• Provide clean cages, food and water
• Record births/deaths
• Monitor housing densities according to the NIH
  Guide
• Process and house incoming animals
• Maintain clean rooms and facilities
• Process and store supplies

6
Animal Husbandry

• Animal care staff services continued
• Observe animals daily for general health and
  welfare requirements and report problems to
  veterinary technicians
• Experimentally related issues need to be
  monitored by laboratory staff- this includes any
  monitoring described in the UCUCA protocol
• Examples- Post surgical monitoring, monitoring
  for illness caused by experimental procedure,
  monitoring for weight loss caused by experimental
  procedure, monitoring for tumor size etc.. (This
  is not a complete list)

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Animal Husbandry

• If you need help, have question or concerns
  contact the animal care staff or area supervisors
• There are a number of internal policies and SOPs
  that must be followed.
• ULAM Website
• More detailed information will be provided in
  this course

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Caging, food, water and transport of animals
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Types of Micro-isolator caging

• Static Cages
• Static cages have passive air flow (not forced)
• These cages have lid that filters air coming into
  the cage

• Ventilated Cages
• Cages are inserted into a rack that blows
  filtered air to each cage
• These cages have a port on the back that allows
  them to plug into the ventilation system

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Static Micro-isolator Cages

• Filtered micro-isolator top with a wire bar lid.
• Wire bar lid holds the food and the water bottle.
• Cages are changed at least once per week (more if
  needed)

• Cost of care (per diem) of static cage is higher
  than ventilated cages because cages must be
  changed more frequently

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Ventilated Micro-isolator cages

• Cage has a hole in the back that allows both the
  air supply and the water valve from the rack to
  plug into the cage.
• Food is placed in either a rear saddle feeder or
  wire bar lid feeder.

• Cages are changed at least once every 2 weeks.
• Reduced per diem when compared to static caging

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Comparison of static and ventilated racks
Static Rack
Ventilated Rack
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Provision of water

• Most static caging systems provide water to
  rodents via a water bottle
• Most ventilated caging systems provide water via
  an automated watering system (can use water
  bottles if needed)
• Water is provided by a valve that plugs into the
  back of the cage
• This valve is called a Lixit
• Users must ensure a lixit is working when placing
  an animal cage into a rack

LIXIT
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Provision of food

• Standard Chow is Purina 5001 and 5010 Chow used
  for rats, mice, and hamsters.
• Food must be provided in feeders, not on the cage
  floor (unless needed for study or veterinary care
  for animals)
• Note if other types of chow are necessary,
  contact ULAM area supervisor

15
Transporting animals

• Transportation should follow the Animal
  Transport SOP http//www.ulam.umich.edu/sops/Anim
  alTransport.pdf
• Cover cages when in public hallways
• Prevent extremes of heat or cold
• Complete set-up (transport cage) cage bottom
  with bedding, rear feeder or wire lid, with a
  Micro-isolator top located in room on top of
  changing station hood or on racks.

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Animal identification

• Barcodes
• Cage Cards

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Barcode

• A barcode is the small image of lines (bars) and
  spaces on cage cards used identify a particular
  cage number and location.
• All cages require a barcode
• Per-diem charges are based on barcodes
• Animal numbers are tracked and debited from
  protocol by barcodes
• Barcodes serve as a unique cage ID

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ULAM Cage Cards
Preprinted with barcode

• White (preprinted) cage card distributed from
  ULAM for new arrivals that are ordered from an
  approved vendor.
• White (handwritten) cage card is a new arrival
  cage where either an extra animal was received or
  the new arrivals came without cage cards.

Hand written require a barcode sticker
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Barcodes

• If ULAM has provided a pre-printed cage cards
  barcodes are present
• If a lab creates a new cage they must add a bar
  code onto the new cage card
• Separating animals into new cages
• Breeding animals
• If a PI is approved for breeding, each room will
  have a manual containing barcode stickers and
  data sheets

Barcode Worksheet Sticker Binder
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Barcode stickers and worksheet

• Remove sticker with barcode and place on new cage
  card
• On the worksheet-
• Record the activation date on the worksheet next
  to the number that matches the number on the
  barcode sticker
• Record the number of animals weaned
• Record the number on animals euthanized from the
  weaned group (refer to the last column).

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Barcodes-Deactivation

• When cage or animals are no longer needed place
  barcode in deactivation box immediately
• Delay may result in increased charges
• Deactivation boxes can be found____

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Methods of communication in the animal room

• Acetates, Dead Animal Log, Exceptions

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Acetate Method of Communication

• Acetate a colored transparent plastic card is
  placed over the cage card and is used as a
  communication mechanism between ULAM staff, the
  veterinary staff, and lab staff
• Please note there may be taped labels denoting
  dates, numbers, and/or pertinent information
  regarding animals in the cage

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Red AcetateHealth Concern or Abnormality

• DO NOT REMOVE THE ACETATE FROM THE CAGE !
• Indicates that an abnormality has been observed
  and an Animal Treatment Report (medical record)
  has been generated.

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Green AcetateTreatment

• DO NOT REMOVE THE ACETATE FROM THE CAGE !
• The cage or animal has been treated and is being
  monitored by the veterinary care staff.
• The tape on the acetate will list the clinical
  number, the problem, as well as treatment dates.

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Clear AcetateNo Treatment

• DO NOT REMOVE THE ACETATE FROM THE CAGE!
• The animals condition has been observed and
  noted, treatment is not needed
• The tape on the clear acetate will listed the
  date, clinical number and the condition noted.

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Blue AcetateOvercrowd

• Placed to signify an overcrowded cage that
  requires animals to be separated or weaned within
  the next business day.
• If the lab does not separate the cage by the next
  business day, ULAM will separate or wean free of
  charge.

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Blue AcetateOvercrowd cont.

• If lab prefers that ULAM never separate or wean,
  an Exception must be posted.
• NOTE ULAM will charge a 50.00 fee for all
  overcrowd emails or calls to the lab, in the
  event the lab does not comply with the posted
  exception.
• Refer to the Overcrowded Housing Densities list
  posted in all ULAM managed animal rooms.

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Yellow Acetate Caution

• A cage with a yellow acetate requires special
  attention.
• Both lab personnel and husbandry personnel may be
  affected by the use of this acetate.
• Consult with the area supervisor for advice
  concerning yellow acetates and if an exception is
  necessary.
• The following slides will explain the most common
  yellow acetate situations.

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Yellow Acetate Suture Removal (found in ULAM
supply box in each room)

• Suture Removal Tape Lab personnel to record
  surgery date and date sutures/clips will be
  removed.
• Place the completed tape on a yellow acetate, not
  on the cage card.
• This provides communication between lab and
  animal care staff.
• It is not necessary to tag the cage when
  researchers are using skin glue to close surgical
  sites.

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Yellow Acetate Do Not Feed

• Do Not Feed Tape Lab personnel must complete
  both dates for start and stop time of fasting.
  Be sure to include AM or PM, name, phone number
  and/or email.
• It is the labs responsibility to coordinate the
  removal and placement of food during the Do Not
  Feed period.
• If you have questions contact the ULAM husbandry
  supervisor for your area.

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Yellow Acetate When an Exception Form is
required
Exception

• The cage or animal in the cage requires something
  special that deviates from standard care.
• Exceptions must be signed prior to the placement
  of the exception form in the room.
• Lab personnel are responsible to place labeled
  yellow acetates over the cage cards on all
  affected cages.

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Other uses of yellow acetates

• Envirodry
• Breeding aids such as igloos, mouse house,
  shepard shack
• 5008 chow (standard rodent breeding chow provided
  by ULAM)
• If mouse falls on the floor, must label with a
  dated piece of tape fell on floor-date
• Contact area supervisor for further advice on the
  use of yellow acetates

Envirodry
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Other uses yellow acetate

• If a mouse fell on floor the date should be
  noted as well as change cage last on the
  acetate.
• When weaning mice on ventilated racks Check
  lixit x 5 days, with start and end date must be
  noted on yellow acetate.

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Dead Animal Log (Rats and Mice Only)
Death Log

• Found on the door or laminar flow hood within
  each ULAM rodent housing room.
• ULAM or veterinary care staff will record dead
  rodents if old enough to be furred with eyes open
  on both the log and the cage card.
• The log will include date, PI, Rack and side, ear
  tag/cage number, strain, technician name, and any
  comments will be noted.
• To locate rack numbers, there will be stenciled
  rack numbers on both sides of the racks
• Note Some racks will also have a green tag
  hanging on one side of the rack.

Rack 742 A
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Exceptions

• When an exception from standard procedures is
  requested
• An Exception Form needs to be filled out and
  given to the husbandry supervisor
• Important communication to staff on special
  procedures

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Veterinary Care Program
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Veterinary Care Program

• Veterinary Staff
• Veterinarian Faculty
• Veterinary Residents
• Veterinary Technicians
• Each group is assigned to duties based on animal
  housing areas
• Non-emergency questions
• ulamvets_at_umich.edu, or call ULAM main office
  764-0277

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How to Obtain Veterinary Care

• ULAM husbandry staff can be notified to report
  problems
• To contact veterinarians directly- Refer to the
  blue sheet dispersed in all lectures and posted
  in animal housing areas
• When contacting veterinary or husbandry staff
• Provide area, room, and cage location
• Provide what you observed

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Rodent health surveillance program
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Specific Pathogen Free- SPF

• Specific pathogen free (SPF) animals Animals
  are managed to prevent infection with pathogenic
  (disease causing) micro-organisms
• All rats and mice managed by ULAM are SPF
• This does not mean that animals are sterile. They
  still carry many micro-organisms that do not
  normally cause disease
• Outbreaks of unwanted diseases do occur

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Infectious agents in laboratory rodents

• Infectious can pass to animals via many routes
• Direct contact with other animals
• Contact with surfaces that are contaminated
• Gloves, instruments, equipment, working surfaces
• Injection of contaminated substances (many
  viruses can grow in biological media or cell
  lines)

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Micro-Isolation (MI) Technique

• Following strict animal isolation
  (Micro-isolation technique) are important to
  prevent spread of unwanted diseases to your
  animals or to other labs animals
• Infections can alter research results directly or
  cause changes in immune systems of animals
• The health status of your animals can affect the
  research of other investigators in your room or
  housing facility.

44
Micro-isolation (MI) Techniques

• Cage is an isolated environment that should
  protect animals from exposure to infectious
  agents
• When animals are removed from cage surfaces that
  they contact, gloves, and instruments should be
  properly cleaned to prevent spread of disease
• In animal rooms animals are handled under a hood
  to prevent exposure to infections
• Follow procedures as much as possible in
  laboratories

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Rodent health surveillance program

• ULAM monitors rodents for the presence of
  unwanted infectious diseases
• Sentinel animals are placed in the animal room
  and exposed to dirty bedding from colony animals
  to pick up any diseases that they may carry

46
Sentinel placement

• The sentinel cage is clearly marked with a red
  stamp that states Surveillance Do Not Use.
• Please do not move or disturb the animals in
  these sentinel cages.
• Their location provides a means of tracking and
  containing infected animals. 
• Sentinel cages are placed on a quarterly basis by
  the Rodent Health Surveillance Team in each
  animal room for 6 to 8 weeks at a time

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Sentinel removal

• Sentinal animals will be euthanized after 6 to 8
  weeks of fecal swaps
• Blood sample drawn
• Cecum removed
• Blood sample submitted for an assessment panel
• Cecum examined for the presence of pinworms

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Contamination

• When sentinels for an investigators colony
  become contaminated, the room will be posted with
  a contamination sign based upon information
  received from an outbreak form.
• The area supervisor will make a contamination
  sign to hang on the animal room door.
• This sign will give instructions to anyone
  entering the room to avoid spreading the
  contaminant to other mice.
• Follow clean to dirty travel patterns
• The veterinary resident should contact the lab
  and explain the contamination, and the housing
  and treatment options.

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Common Viral Contaminants

• Mouse Parvo Virus (MPV) disease of the digestive
  tract that is always sub clinical. MPV causes
  alterations in the normal immune function of the
  affected animals it is extremely difficult to
  eliminate from a colony because the virus can
  survive for much longer in an environment.
• Mouse Hepatitis Virus (MHV) highly contagious
  disease most often associated with the digestive
  tract. It can cause severe diarrhea and death in
  infant mice. In sub-clinical infections, MHV
  causes severe suppression of the immune system
  decreasing the production of lymphocytes,
  decreasing the phagocytic activity of some immune
  cells, and decreasing the production of some
  cells substances that normally fight infection.
• Epizootic Diarrhea of Infant Mice (EDIM) disease
  of digestive tract most commonly causes problems
  (diarrhea) in young pups clinical
  characteristics of EDIM are watery, yellow stools
  that accumulate around the mouse anus and base of
  tail.
• Minute Virus of Mice (MVM) belongs to the same
  group as the parvovirus highly contagious,
  affects the immune system in similar fashion as
  does MPV.

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Common Parasitic Contaminants

• Pinworms intestinal parasite
• Eggs are easily spread through the air, hands,
  and clothes making them both difficult and costly
  to eradicate.
• Aspicularis tetrapera deposit eggs directly in
  the intestinal tract of rodents.
• Syphacia obvelata infects rodents near the
  perianal area eggs lay in the surrounding skin.

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Outbreak signage

• Red sign- rodent infectious disease detected in
  the room
• PI
• Type of infectious contamination
• Rack will be specified
• Yellow sign- Infection is in the process of being
  cleared from room
• Room has been treated and/or contaminated animals
  have been removed or culled
• Room is awaiting new round of testing

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Animal Room Order
Always follow room order to prevent spread of
infections to clean areas

• Nude or SCID
• SPF clean room
• SPF contaminated viral/bacterial
• SPF contaminated parasitic

CLEAN Enter first
DIRTY Enter last
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Remember

• When sentinel mice test positive for any
  infectious agent, the ULAM veterinary staff
  recommends the following
• Strictly follow animal room order Clean to
  dirty!
• Use Micro-isolator cages and strict MI technique.
• Do not share any supplies, equipment, or animals
  with another laboratory.

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Quiz

• Complete and submit Quiz on-line _at_
  http//www.ulam.umich.edu/Training/spfquiz.htm
• The sample quiz can NOT be faxed.
• Area access will be given only when Part I
  Part-II have been completed.
• Please exit from this website after reviewing the
  sample quiz and submit the quiz responses to
  http//www.ulam.umich.edu/Training/spfquiz.htm

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Sample Quiz The following Quiz must be
completed and submitted to http//www.ulam.umich.e
du/Training/spfquiz.htm before Micro-Isolator
Technique Class-Part II may be taken.

• Answer all 20 questions 5 points per question.
  Must receive an 80 to pass.
• A lab member can remove a red, green, or clear
  acetate. True or False
• Static cages typically have a filtered
  micro-isolator top, wire bar lid that holds the
  food and water bottle cage are placed on a wire
  shelf rack. True or False
• Ventilated cages are plugged into a rack that
  provided clean, filtered air to each cage while
  actively exhausting the air inside the cage to
  maintain a healthy environment. True or False

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Quiz cont.

• When contacting veterinary or husbandry care
  staff regarding a sick animal, provide the
  following
• a. Area, room number, and cage location
• b. Explain what you observed
• c. Place a red acetate and use an ATR
• d. All of the above
• What color acetate indicates a health concern or
  abnormality has been observed?
• Red, Green, Clear, Yellow, or Blue

57
Quiz cont.

• Who places a yellow acetate when there is an
  exception posted? ULAM or Lab
• Who places the yellow acetate when there is NOT
  an exception required for 5008 chow, Envirodry,
  mouse igloo, opaque cage, or a check lixit if lab
  weans animals on an auto-water ventilated rack?
• ULAM or Lab
• Who places the blue acetate indicating an
  overcrowded cage? ULAM or Lab

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Quiz cont.

• What information is required on the cage each
  cage card?
• A. Principal investigator name
• B. UCUCA Protocol number
• C. Species, stock, and strain of animal
• D. Pertinent dates (births, arrival,
  experiments, etc.)
• E. Lab contact name and phone number
• F. All of the above
• Do all cage cards require a barcode? Yes or No
• Who is responsible for placing barcode stickers
  on cage cards when the lab separates or weans?
  ULAM or Lab

59
Quiz cont.

• Is the Training Core group responsible for
  training lab staff in the UCUCA mandated courses.
  True or False
• Lab staff is responsible for monitoring protocol
  specific issues? True or False
• Sentinel cages are clearly marked with a red
  stamp that states Surveillance Do Not Use.
  True or False

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Quiz cont.

• A red sign posted means room has been treated
  and/or contaminated animals have been removed or
  culled. True or False
• There are two types of contaminations Parasitic
  and Viral. True or False
• Enter parasitic contaminated rooms last. True or
  False
• Animal room order Traveling from Clean to Dirty
  is required. True or False

61
Quiz cont.

• If a mouse falls on the floor, it is acceptable
  to place it back into its original cage. True or
  False
• When weaning mice on ventilated racks A yellow
  acetate with Check lixit x 5 days with start
  and end dates must be placed. True or False
• Part II Workshop will be available upon receiving
  a passing score.