ALAT Animal Health and Biology Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A research protocol requires creating a genetically uniform strain of mice by mating siblings for 20 or more generations. What is this type of breeding scheme called?
- Inbreeding (Correct answer)
- Outbreeding
- Crossbreeding
- Random breeding
Correct answer: Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the process of mating closely related individuals, such as siblings, for 20 or more consecutive generations to produce a genetically homozygous (uniform) strain. This reduces genetic variability within the population.
Question 2: What is the typical gestation period for a common laboratory mouse (Mus musculus)?
- 10-12 days
- 30-33 days
- 19-21 days (Correct answer)
- 60-65 days
Correct answer: 19-21 days
The gestation period, or length of pregnancy, for most common strains of laboratory mice is approximately 19 to 21 days. This rapid reproductive cycle is one reason they are a common model in research.
Question 3: Which of the following terms refers to the act of giving birth in mammals?
- Dystocia
- Weaning
- Parturition (Correct answer)
- Anogenital
Correct answer: Parturition
Parturition is the scientific term for the process of giving birth or labor. Dystocia refers to a difficult birth, weaning is the process of transitioning young off of mother's milk, and anogenital refers to the area around the anus and genitals.
Question 4: An ALAT observes a guinea pig that is drooling, having difficulty eating, and losing weight. The front incisors appear overly long. What is the most likely health issue?
- Scurvy
- Alopecia
- Pododermatitis
- Malocclusion (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Malocclusion
Malocclusion is the misalignment or overgrowth of teeth. In guinea pigs, whose teeth grow continuously, it can prevent them from eating properly, leading to drooling (slobbers), weight loss, and anorexia.
Question 5: A necropsy is being performed on a rat (Rattus norvegicus). Which of the following organs, commonly found in other mammals, will be absent?
- Spleen
- Gallbladder (Correct answer)
- Cecum
- Adrenal gland
Correct answer: Gallbladder
Rats do not have a gallbladder. In species that have one, this organ stores bile produced by the liver; in rats, bile is secreted directly from the liver into the small intestine.
Question 6: Which of the following is a permanent method of animal identification commonly used for rodents?
- Ear tagging (Correct answer)
- Fur dye
- Cage card
- Marker on the tail
Correct answer: Ear tagging
Ear tagging involves attaching a small, numbered metal or plastic tag to the animal's ear and is considered a permanent identification method. Fur dye and markers are temporary, while a cage card identifies the group of animals in the cage, not the individual.
ALAT Animal Health and Biology Questions and Answers 1
A research protocol requires creating a genetically uniform strain of mice by mating siblings for 20 or more generations.
What is this type of breeding scheme called?