Regular observation of laboratory rodents before and after painful procedures with consistent use of 2 or more assessment methods is likely to improve pain detection and lead to improved treatment and care—a primary goal for improving overall animal welfare.
Full Answer
What is the goal of animal pain research and treatment?
While research on pain or on methods of alleviating pain may unavoidably cause animal distress and severe perturbation of animal welfare, the goal of researchers, veterinary teams, and IACUCs should be to reduce and alleviate pain in laboratory animals to the minimum necessary to achieve the scientific objective. REFERENCES Allen C. Animal pain.
How accurate are animal pain scales?
Pain scales based on the presence or absence of species-specific behaviors, and that minimize the interpretation of those behaviors, are likely to be more accurate than generic scales that rely heavily on subjective assessment and interpretation. All current methods used to measure pain in animals are prone to errors of under- or overestimation.
What are the methods of pain assessment in rodents?
More recent pain assessment methods, such as the use of ethograms, facial grimace scoring, burrowing, and nest-building, focus on evaluating changes in spontaneous behaviors or activities of rodents in their home environments. Many of these assessment methods are time-consuming to conduct.
Why is it important to study the causes of pain?
CAUSES OF PAIN IN RESEARCH ANIMALS Understanding the potential causes of pain in research animals can facilitate the anticipation or recognition of both the types of specific stimuli or tissue responses and the situations (in terms of management, husbandry, or experiment) in which pain is likely.
How can animals reduce pain and distress in research?
The simplest approach to avoiding, minimizing, and alleviating distress in laboratory animal care and use is to follow the principles of the Three Rs—refinement, reduction, and replacement. It is important, however, to strike a balance between the integrity of research outcomes and the welfare of animals used.
How can we improve animal testing?
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How can we reduce the number of animals used in research?
Pilot studies are a good way to reduce the number of animal used; the IACUC may even require a pilot study when reviewing a protocol. Pilot studies can be used to estimate variability and evaluate procedures and effects.
How can pain be measured in animals?
Acute Pain Measurement Facial expression is also currently used to measure pain in several species, including the mouse, rat, rabbit, and horse. Certain composite scale instruments, including the feline CMPS, combine facial expression with physiologic and behavioral parameters to assess pain.
What are solutions to animal testing?
These alternatives to animal testing include sophisticated tests using human cells and tissues (also known as in vitro methods), advanced computer-modeling techniques (often referred to as in silico models), and studies with human volunteers.
How can you reduce the number of animals used in research by improving experimental design and statistics?
The solution is to split the experiment up into a number of smaller “mini-experiments” each done with animals chosen to be as similar as possible. Typically, each block of a randomised block design has one animal (or other experimental unit) of each of the treatments.
What are the alternatives for animal use?
Alternatives to animal testingNon-animal methods are often cheaper, quicker and more effective. ... Image Gallery. ... Types of non-animal methods. ... Human tissues. ... Computer models. ... Volunteer studies. ... Medical breakthroughs using humans. ... Non-animal methods perform better than animal tests.
How do the three Rs assist scientists in improving the welfare of animals used in science?
Use of the Three Rs tenet assists in improving the welfare of animals used in science in several ways: it addresses a range of concerns about scientific animal use; it places a focus on individual animals; it adapts and responds to new information; it balances the needs of science and the needs of the animals; and it ...
Why are the 3 R's important in animal research?
The main goal of the 3Rs is to alter traditional animal testing practices so that animal experimentation is reduced to a minimum whenever possible. Moreover, it attempts to lower animal distress and suffering during research to a minimum. The 3Rs are supported by many government legislations and regulatory systems.
Is there a scientific way to measure pain?
In the past, the only way to gauge a patient's suffering was with a questionnaire. Now, researchers have found a unique brain signature for physical pain.
What scoring systems can you use to objectively measure pain in an animal?
A behavior-based acute pain scoring system—the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS)—was developed at the University of Glasgow, which takes into consideration several parameters, such as: Demeanor. Response to people. Posture, mobility, and activity.
Is there a way to measure pain tolerance?
Dolorimetry uses an instrument called a dolorimeter to assess pain threshold and pain tolerance. There are several types of instruments, depending on the type of stimulus it uses. Most dolorimeters apply heat, pressure, or electrical stimulation to parts of your body while you report your pain level.
What are the clinical criteria used to assess chronic pain?
Often, clinical criteria used to assess chronic pain (eg, lack of activity, lack of grooming, decreased appetite, weight loss) are not specific signs of pain and point only to an underlying problem in need of further diagnosis.
What is the purpose of neurologic examination?
A comprehensive neurologic examination must be included for complete assessment and accurate diagnosis of any chronic pain syndrome. Lastly, response to therapy, such as increased activity after administering an NSAID, may provide important diagnostic information regarding the role of pain in behavioral changes.
What is pain experience?
Pain is a complex, multidimensional experience with sensory and affective elements. All mammals process the neuroanatomic and neuropharmacologic components involved in transduction, transmission, and perception of noxious stimuli; therefore, it is expected that animals experience pain even if they cannot exactly perceive or communicate it in ...
What is the importance of observation in animal care?
Observations by owners are essential to detect more subtle signs of chronic pain in animals, such as changes in attitude or interaction with family members or members of the herd or flock.
What is the importance of a thorough history and physical examination?
A thorough history and physical examination are integral to the evaluation. Evaluating the degree of lameness and sensitivity to manipulation are also critically important when assessing chronic orthopedic pain and pain of spinal origin.
Is there pain if there is no change in physiologic responses?
Lack of change in physiologic responses should not be construed to mean there is no pain if other clinical signs suggest otherwise. Physiologic parameters are not specific enough to differentiate pain from other stressors such as anxiety, fear, or physiologic responses to metabolic conditions (eg, anemia).
When was the first veterinary manual published?
The Veterinary Manual was first published in 1955 as a service to the community.
What are the physiologic changes that may be observed in animals experiencing pain?
Physiologic changes that may be observed in animals experiencing pain include fluctuations in body temperature, heart and breathing rates and blood pressure, weight loss and dehydration.
What is the best pain reliever for the central nervous system?
Analgesic drugs work in various ways to relieve pain. Some, such as morphine and buprenorphine provide pain relief through their action on the central nervous system. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ketoprofen and meloxicam, relieve pain by decreasing inflammation and, in some cases, direct analgesic action.
What is general anesthesia?
General Principles of Analgesic Drug Use. General anesthesia is required for all procedures likely to cause more than slight or momentary pain. Animals that are likely to experience post procedural pain must receive analgesic medication.
Do mammals have pain perception?
Mechanisms of pain perception are similar in all mammals, but the ability to tolerate and cope with pain varies between species. For example, prey species such as rodents may not show obvious signs of pain to avoid signaling to predators that they are ill and would be an easy meal.
Can analgesics be given by injection?
Additional doses of analgesic medication may be given on a predetermined schedule and/or based on a subjective assessment of the degree of pain experienced by the animal. In most cases analgesics should be administered by injection.
What is the best treatment for pain in animals?
use anesthetics, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory drugs for intra- and postoperative or experimentally induced pain. Although we cannot know exactly what an animal perceives as painful, the rule of thumb is to consider any stimulus we humans would consider painful as also painful to animals.
Why is stress important for animals?
Stress is a normal feature of life for all animals and serves important adaptive functions, such as the ability to flee from harm, hunt for food, mate, and interact socially with other animals.
What is the response of an animal to a stressor?
An animal's response to a stressor can vary depending on age, sex, past experience (e.g., handling, previous experimental procedures), genetic profile, and physiologic state.
What are the stressors of animals?
Possible stressors for animals being used in research: inadequate space and overcrowding. social hierarchy. social deprivation. lack of environmental conditions needed for species-specific behaviors (e.g., gnawing for rats, exercise for dogs) inappropriate handling and restraint. noise.
What is the role of animal husbandry?
pay careful attention to animal husbandry (i.e., light, temperature, humidity, caging, bedding, etc.) provide species-appropriate environmental enrichment (in some species , this is mandated by law) use anesthetics, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory drugs for intra- and postoperative or experimentally induced pain.
When pain-relieving medication is not used during painful procedures, must the researcher justify the reason?
When pain-relieving medication is not used during painful procedures, researchers and instructors must justify the reason – for example, by demonstrating that such medications would adversely affect their experiments or lessons.
Why do researchers need to report animals?
Animal welfare regulations require researchers (and instructors who use animals for educational purposes) to report whether the animals they use are subjected to pain and whether it is relieved by medication. When pain-relieving medication is not used ...