ALAT Animal Health and Welfare 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A guinea pig is observed with slobbering, wet fur around the mouth, and weight loss. These signs are most consistent with:
- Respiratory infection
- Dental malocclusion (slobbers) (Correct answer)
- Dermatophytosis
- Vitamin C deficiency
Correct answer: Dental malocclusion (slobbers)
Malocclusion, commonly called 'slobbers,' causes drooling and difficulty eating, leading to weight loss in guinea pigs.
Question 2: In laboratory animal facilities, the term 'clinical endpoint' refers to:
- The date an animal is scheduled for euthanasia at study completion
- A defined humane point at which an animal is removed from a study to prevent unnecessary suffering (Correct answer)
- The final clinical exam before an animal is shipped
- A blood sample collection time point in a pharmacokinetic study
Correct answer: A defined humane point at which an animal is removed from a study to prevent unnecessary suffering
Humane endpoints are predetermined criteria that trigger early removal or euthanasia to minimize animal suffering during a study.
Question 3: Which of the following is the correct approach when a technician discovers an animal that appears to be in severe distress outside of normal working hours?
- Wait until the next business day to report the finding
- Document the finding and check again in the morning
- Contact the on-call veterinarian immediately (Correct answer)
- Administer available pain medication without authorization
Correct answer: Contact the on-call veterinarian immediately
Facilities are required to have 24-hour veterinary coverage; severe distress requires immediate veterinary notification regardless of the hour.
Question 4: What does the term 'zoonosis' mean in the context of laboratory animal medicine?
- A disease that only affects zoo animals
- A disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans (Correct answer)
- A condition caused by overcrowding in animal facilities
- An infection that spreads only between different animal species
Correct answer: A disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans
Zoonoses are diseases or infections that can be transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans, posing occupational health risks in animal facilities.
Question 5: A technician notices that newly received mice have nasal discharge and sneezing. The best immediate action is to:
- Place the mice directly into the main colony room
- Quarantine the mice and notify the facility veterinarian (Correct answer)
- Treat with over-the-counter antihistamines
- Increase ventilation in the receiving area and continue monitoring
Correct answer: Quarantine the mice and notify the facility veterinarian
New animals showing respiratory signs must be quarantined and evaluated by a veterinarian before entering the main colony to prevent disease spread.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'animal distress' compared to 'animal pain'?
- They are interchangeable terms with identical definitions
- Pain is a physical sensation while distress encompasses broader psychological and physiological suffering (Correct answer)
- Distress only applies to prey species such as mice and rats
- Pain requires veterinary diagnosis while distress does not
Correct answer: Pain is a physical sensation while distress encompasses broader psychological and physiological suffering
Pain is a specific noxious sensory experience, while distress is a broader state encompassing psychological suffering, fear, and inability to adapt.
Question 7: What is the recommended approach when a research protocol requires a procedure that may cause more than momentary pain?
- The procedure may be performed without additional oversight
- Appropriate analgesia or anesthesia must be used unless scientifically justified and IACUC-approved (Correct answer)
- The technician should decide based on personal judgment
- Pain relief is only required for non-rodent species
Correct answer: Appropriate analgesia or anesthesia must be used unless scientifically justified and IACUC-approved
Federal regulations and IACUC policy require that procedures causing more than momentary pain include appropriate pain management unless there is documented scientific justification for withholding it.
ALAT Animal Health and Welfare 3
A guinea pig is observed with slobbering, wet fur around the mouth, and weight loss.
These signs are most consistent with: