This document provides information on the care and handling of laboratory rabbits and guinea pigs. It discusses their physiology, common uses in experiments, and guidelines for proper handling and housing. Rabbits and guinea pigs are often used as they are small, inexpensive, and similar to humans physiologically. Proper care is important to ensure the health and welfare of these laboratory animals.

1. CARE AND HANDLING OF
LABORATORY ANIMALS – RABBIT,
GUINEA PIG
Keven Liam William
209701
2nd M.Sc Zoology
St. Albert’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam

2. INTRODUCTION
• An animal which has more or less similar physiological and
body composition with various biological systems as human
beings, which are tiny, easy to handle, less expensive and co-
operative are called as laboratory animals
• Laboratory animals are used for different studies.
• It may include bioassay, preclinical studies etc.
• List of most frequently used mammals – mouse, mice, rat,
hamster, guinea pig, cat, monkeys, dog.
• Healthy and well being of laboratory animal entirely depends
almost on
– The care
– Humanity
– Watchfulness of the staff of the animal house.

3. Rabbit
• Scientific name : Oryctolagus cuniculus
• Very docile animals.
• Rectal temperature = 38.7°C – 39.1°C
• Normal respiratory rate = 55 per minute
• Pulse rate = 135 per minute
• Gestation period = 28 to 31 days
• Weaning age = 6 to 8 weeks
• Mating age = 6 to 9 months
• Room temperature = 15.5°C – 18.5°C
• Humidity = 40 – 45%
• Weight = adult – 0.9 to 6.75 kg
• Used for testing of large volume of parenterals and for screening
and bioassay of insulin, anti diabetic and curaremimetic drugs.

4. HANDLING
• Daily human contact reduces stress during handling.
• Gloves should always be worn when handling rabbits.
• These animals can become nervous and inflict severe bites or scratches from
their powerful hind legs.
• Rabbits should never be handled by the ears because of a high probability of
causing cervical luxation and death.
• They should be held by grasping a large fold of loose skin over the shoulders
with one hand and either supporting or grasping the rear feet with the other
hand.
• Failing to support or hold onto the rear feet may result in the animal kicking
and trying to escape, which can cause severe spinal injury or a broken back.
COMMON DISEASES
• Pneumococci, Streptococci
• Rabbit syphilis (Treponema cuniculi)
• Respiratory infections (Snuffles)
• Coccidioisis (hepatic and intestinal)
• Pseudo tuberculosis

5. EXPERIMENTAL USES
• Used for toxicity and safety testing of substances.
• Used in skin and eye irritation studies.
• Study human diseases – AIDS, cancer.
• Breed of choice for polyclonal antibody production
• Also used as bioreactors for pdn of pharmaceutical proteins.

6. INTRA MUSCULAR
INJECTION
TARGET INJECTION
SITE – THE
QUADRICEPS FEMORIS
(LATERAL HIGH)

7. SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION INTRAVENOUS INJECTION

8. INTRATESTICULAR
BLOOD COLLECTION SITES:
1. Marginal ear vein
2. Central ear artery
3. Cardiocentesis (cardiac
puncture)

9. Cardiocentesis (cardiac puncture)

10. Guinea pig
• Scientific name – Cavia porcellus
• Rectal temperature – 37.6 to 38.9°C.
• Normal respiration rate – 80 per minute
• Pulse rate – 150 per minute
• Gestation period – 59 – 72 days
• Weaning age – 14 – 21 days
• Mating age – 12 to 30 weeks
• Room temperature – 18.5 to 21°C
• Humidity – 45%
• Weight – weaning : 120 g; adult – 200 – 1000 g
• Herbivorous and eats green foods, seed and roots.
• Not able to synthesize required daily vit. C
• Highly sensitive to histamine and pencillin.
• Very susceptible to tuberculosis and anaphylactic shock.
• Isolated tissues used – vas deferens, uterus, ileum tracheal chain

11. HANDLING
• Place one hand across the back of the
animal with thumb behind the
shoulder and other fingers well
forward on the opposite side.
• Lift the animal gently and support its
weight with other hand placed palm
uppermost under the hind quarters
COMMON DISEASES
• Pseudo tuberculosis (acute or
chronic)
• Abscesses in lymphatic glands.
• Respiratory tract infections
• Intestinal infections
• Coccidioisis, Toxoplasmosis
• Viral disease
EXPERIMENTAL
PROCEDURES
•Anasthesia
•Subcutaneous inoculation
•Intracutaneous inoculation
•Intraperitoneal inoculation
•Collection of blood

12. INTRAPERITONEAL
INTRAMUSCULAR
SUBCUTANEOUS
INTRAVENOUS, DORSAL PENILE VEIN

13. COLLECTION OF BLOOD FROM GUINEA PIG
CRANIAL VENA CAVA CARDIAC PUNCTURE

14. EXPERIMENTAL USES
• Vaccines for diphtheria, TB etc.
• Hypersensitivity studies.
• Anaphylactic shock.
• Evaluation of bronchodilators.
• Evaluation of local anaesthetics.
• Terminal portion of ileum used for screening
spasmodic and anti spasmodic agents.
• Nutritional studies (ascorbic acid metabolism).
• Ideal model for enteric amoebiasis, encephalomyelitis.

15. REFERENCES
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3283968/
• https://www.slideshare.net/subhashkarna/animal-experiment
• https://www.slideshare.net/MartinJacob13/laboratory-animals-
83493718
• Podberscek AL, Blackshaw JK, Beattie AW. The effects of repeated
handling by familiar and unfamiliar people on rabbits in individual
cages and group pens. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 1991;28:365–73.
• Olfert ED. Canadian Council on Animal Care. Guide to the care
and use of experimental animals. Ottawa: Conseil Canadien de
Protection de Animaux (CCPA); 1993. Rabbits.