Day to day
What are the PPE requirements for Viv Ops and Vet Services to enter vivariums (with the exception of High Bay)?
Name 5.
•Scrubs
•Frock
•Hood
•Mask
•Shoe covers
•Safety glasses
•Gloves
•Hair bonnet (optional)
•Safety Shoes
What does IACUC stand for?
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How often does the IACUC perform facility inspections and program reviews?
IACUC = Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
Semi-annual facility inspections and the program review are performed once every 6 months minimally
Summarize the PAM program
Veterinary Services performs Post Approval Monitoring (PAM). The program involves monthly, informal, unannounced visits to all housing and procedure rooms by Veterinary Services staff. The program also includes announced, formal audits of animal use protocols listed in the IACUC database. Unannounced visits may also be performed. Findings from these audits will be presented to the IACUC for review.
What happens if a feed bag is found to be damaged or contaminated?
All feedbags are examined upon arrival for damage and contamination. Torn and dirty feedbags are discarded.
What is the definition of prolonged restraint?
The Regeneron IACUC defines prolonged physical restraint as 15 minutes or more in a conscious animal.
How often is full de novo review of protocols performed?
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How many times a month does the IACUC typically meet?
De novo protocol review is every 3 years
The IACUC meets twice monthly typically
What guiding document do we base our cage densities off of?
The 8th Edition of Guide For The Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
What happens if feed is 180 days after milling date
It is expired and needs to be discarded
What is temperature and humidity range for the vivarium housing rooms?
Humidity 30-70%
Temperature 70 +/- 2°F generally
What are some humane endpoints that could serve as criteria for euthanasia
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•Body condition of 2 or less
•Rapid weight loss or loss of greater than 20% of body weight
•Anorexia or failure to drink
•Diarrhea, if debilitating
•Progressive dermatitis
•Ascites
•Rough hair coat
•Hunched posture
•Lethargy
•Persistent recumbency
•Any condition interfering with eating or drinking (e.g. difficulty with ambulation)
•Excessive or prolonged hyperthermia or hypothermia
•Loss of righting reflex
•Labored breathing
•Nasal discharge
•Jaundice and/or anemia
•Neurological signs (i.e. seizures, paresis, paralysis, circling/head tilt, blindness)
•Bleeding from any orifice
•Self-induced trauma
How is food provided to the animals?
Food is provided ad lib to rodents on a daily basis. However, there are studies that do allow for food restriction/regulation for short periods of time with IACUC approval. Feed for rodents is provided in the wire top feeders.
Please describe weekend and holiday coverage by Viv Ops and Vet Services
Vivarium Operations provides weekend and holiday care on a scheduled rotation overseen by the Facility Managers.
Veterinary Services is provided with company-issued cell phones and are on call 24 hours a day to respond to on site veterinary emergencies. A Veterinarian and two Veterinary Technicians are scheduled to be on call 7 days a week. On weekends and holidays, Animal Care Technicians must call the Veterinarian-on call if new sick animals are found or if there is an urgent veterinary or facility issue. Each facility also emails a daily summary weekend/holiday report to the on-call Veterinarian and Veterinary Technicians and copies their Managers and Supervisors.
An on-call ACT in Building 9 can respond after hours in cases of flooded cages. After hours, non-animal emergency calls are directed to the Facility Supervisor/ Manager and Senior Management. Signage is placed in all facilities and procedure rooms with contact information, and contact cards are provided to all vivarium users. All Veterinary Services staff have access to emergency drugs and therapeutics.
Vivarium Operations provides weekend and holiday care on a scheduled rotation overseen by the Facility Managers.
Veterinary Services is provided with company-issued cell phones and are on call 24 hours a day to respond to on site veterinary emergencies. A Veterinarian and two Veterinary Technicians are scheduled to be on call 7 days a week. On weekends and holidays, Animal Care Technicians must call the Veterinarian-on call if new sick animals are found or if there is an urgent veterinary or facility issue. Each facility also emails a daily summary weekend/holiday report to the on-call Veterinarian and Veterinary Technicians and copies their Managers and Supervisors.
An on-call ACT in Building 9 can respond after hours in cases of flooded cages. After hours, non-animal emergency calls are directed to the Facility Supervisor/ Manager and Senior Management. Signage is placed in all facilities and procedure rooms with contact information, and contact cards are provided to all vivarium users. All Veterinary Services staff have access to emergency drugs and therapeutics.
Does Regeneron have generator power as a back-up?
Yes
Explain Vet Services Surgery Card policy
After incisional surgery, a Surgery Card should be filled out and placed on each cage undergoing the procedure. A Surgery Record should be submitted to Veterinary Services within 4 calendar days of the procedure. This record includes the type of procedure, rodent’s weight, anesthetics and analgesics administered, whether the rodent survived or if there were any adverse effects noted.
The identified cages are checked by the Vet Techs. If there are concerns regarding pain, the researchers and Veterinarians are notified.
Please provide examples of environmental enrichment used at Regeneron
All mice are provided with nestlets or Nylabones, with the exception of mice housed on the irradiated aspen shavings bedding in the isolators located in the B4-1 MPF, B2 MPF and B9 Vivarium. The aspen shavings act as a form of enrichment allowing burrowing and building of nests. On occasion, mice housed in isolators receive a Nylabone, biohut, or plastic hut as additional enrichment.
In 4-2, Rats receive a Nylabone, Fat Rat Hut, 2 nestlets and/or Bed R’ Nests. In High Bay, rats receive a cardboard tube.
How are animals identified?
Animals are identified by cage cards.
Individual animals may be identified by various methods including: ear tags, ear punching/notching, SQ microchips, tattooing, animal safe markers. The identification method is noted in protocols.
How many air changes an hour occur in IVC caging?
How many air changes per hour in isolators?
60-80 air changes per hour in IVC units are provided to each cage system to ensure adequate air exchange.
A minimum of 10-15 air changes per hour occur in isolators.
What protocols reuse animals here at Regeneron?
•“Training in Rodent Techniques” protocol’s purpose is to provide instruction in basic and specialized research techniques of mice and rats. The basic techniques include: handling/restraint, injections, anesthetic monitoring, blood collection, oral gavage, surgical procedures and tissue collection/necropsy. In this protocol, rodents on the main Regeneron breeding protocol 34.8 slated for euthanasia may be repurposed for use in the training program.
•The purpose of the “Rodent Health Monitoring” protocol is to establish surveillance for subclinical pathogens that may interfere with research and to attempt to detect pathogens of clinical significance. Sentinels are tested at predetermined intervals, which range from monthly to quarterly and include terminal surveillance. Rodents on the main Regeneron breeding protocol slated for euthanasia may be repurposed for use in the health monitoring program.
When is toeing allowed?
Toe-clipping "should be used only when no other individual identification method is feasible and should be performed only on altricial neonates." In the event toe clipping has to be undertaken on other than neonatal rodent models, the procedure must be done under anesthesia and approved by the IACUC based on the scientific justification presented by the investigator.
Autoclave items are kept 6 months after its listed date.
At that time, they are repackaged and re-sterilized.