Preparing Your Lab for an IACUC or AAALAC Inspection

1. Preparing Your Lab for an IACUC or AAALAC Inspection Office of the Campus Veterinarian

2. The following slides are to serve as a reminder of areas that all animal users are expected to know and be able to appropriately respond, if asked during an AAALAC or IACUC site visit. If you need assistance with any of these areas, please contact the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

3. First Impressions • Keep laboratory neat and organized • This says a great deal about the lab • Convey image that animal users are interested in a quality program • Good Animal Care = Good Science

4. Is this your lab?

5. Or is this your lab?

6. Animal Care Acronyms to Know • AAALAC-International - Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care-International • IACUC - Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee • ASAF - Animal Subjects Approval Form • USDA - United States Department of Agriculture • AWA – Animal Welfare Act • AALAS – American Association of Laboratory Animal Science • OLAW – Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare

7. Role of the IACUC • Protocol review • Program review • Facilities review • Address animal concerns • Note: The IACUC is required to conduct the same level of review twice per year as the AAALAC site team conducts once every three years. • Have you attended a recent Animal Awareness Seminar? Maybe you should.

8. Animal Concerns What can you do? Review this program for a start.

9. Animal Subjects Approval Form • Know your animal protocol (ASAF). • It better match your grant application. • Refer to the protocol often. • Make no deviations from the protocol. • There is no such thing as a pilot study that does not need IACUC approval. • Has everyone in your lab read it and know where it is located?

10. Sick animal? • What do you do? Post your procedure. • What do you do with a sick animal on weekends? • Do you know the point at which the animal should be euthanized? • Remember: ALL clinical care of animals MUST be coordinated through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

11. Anesthesia/Analgesics • Use anesthetics only as described in ASAF • Gas anesthetics vaporizers should be calibrated frequently • Use a chemical fume hood or other means to scavenge gas anesthetic agents appropriately

12. Rodent Aseptic Surgery • Must follow WSU published “Guidelines” • Appropriate sterilization of instruments • Surgical preparation of • Animal • Surgeon • Monitor anesthesia • An anesthetized animal cannot be left unattended • Post-Operative Care consistent with • WSU “Guidelines” • And described in your ASAF

13. Clinical Records for warm-blooded species other than rodents • Each animal must have an individual clinical record. • Clinical records must be available to the OCV staff at all times. • Clinical records must be kept with the animal. • All procedures conducted on the animal must be entered into its clinical record.

14. Drugs • Only use those drugs listed in the ASAF • Other drugs that may be needed for clinical care must be under the direction of a veterinarian. • Do you have a system for identifying and disposing of expired drugs? • Controlled substances will be audited. Know the DEA rules!!

15. Euthanasia • Your euthanasia procedure must be as written in your ASAF. • What methods do you use to assure death? • Physical methods of euthanasia require specialized training and justification. • Use of a guillotine for euthanasia requires that it be properly maintained.

16. Occupational Health and Safety • All animal users MUST be registered in the Animal Contact program. Are you? • Physical injury issues: • Do not recap needles – get our EH&S policy. • Bite wounds – do you know what to do? • Personal Protective Equipment – do know what is required?

17. Chemicals • All chemical containers must be labeled. • If appropriate, an expiration date must be on the label. • Keep chemicals away from human or animal food items.

18. Certifications • Gas anesthetic vaporizers must be certified annually. • Hoods must be certified annually.

19. Training with Animals • Training for Research staff • General animal use training is provided at least monthly • Rodent training is provided as needed/required by the faculty • Training for Animal Care staff • Documented on-the-job • Certification is ideal (AALAS)

20. Animal Housing • To remain consistent with the Guide, NO overcrowding is permitted • Review “Overcrowding” policy – rodent housing most commonly affected • Delayed or incomplete weaning is most common cause of overcrowding conditions • Identification • Cage cards must be visible • Animals must be identified • No housing of animals outside the vivariums unless approved by the IACUC • Warm blooded animals except laboratory reared rats, mice and birds cannot be outside the vivarium for longer than 12 hours (USDA regulations). • Rats, mice, and birds and other vertebrates not covered by the USDA regulations can be kept outside the central animal facilities for up to 24 hours. (PHS Policy)

21. What do you do if you must clean the cages or cage accessories yourself? • You must have a method to ensure an adequate level of sanitation. • This can be accomplished by periodically (at least monthly) culturing the cage or cage accessory. • Contact the OCV for assistance.

22. WSU Animal Policies • Designed to help users and WSU to maintain a program consistent with the “Guide”. • Designed to reduce costs when possible. • Designed to treat all investigators equitably. • Are Posted on OCV web site - Please review often. • If you need clarification or assistance, contact the OCV at 335-6246.

23. Useful Web sites • http://campusvet.wsu.edu - Office of the Campus Veterinarian • http://hazel.forest.net/latanet/client/wsu/introduction.htm - WSU’s On-line Training Program • http://www.aalas.org – Animal Technician certification program • http://www.aaalac.org – AAALAC International home page

24. Please contact us if you have any questions. Office of the Campus Veterinarian 335-6246 campusvet.wsu.edu