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1. COMMON LABORATORY ANIMALS
Laboratory animals are those animals which can be bread and reared (maintained) in the
laboratory under suitable condition. The common laboratory animals are : Rat, Mice, Guinea Pig,
Rabbit and Hamster. The other animals used are for experimental purposes are cat, dog, frog,
monkey, pigeon, etc.
All animals as a rule should be handled in human method in no case animal should be suffered
from pain. The health of animal should be maintain when they are sacrifice the approach should
be euthenesia (painless death)
1. RAT (Scientific name: Rattus norvegicus)
Norway rat albino rats of wistar strain are commonly used. Other strains used are Sprague-
dawley and wistar Kyoto.
Advantages and Characteristics
 It is small in size compared to another animal, so drug required is less.
 Vomiting center is absent, so drug can be orally administered.
 Gall bladder and tonsil absent, so continuous flow of bile into intestine this fascilitate the
study of drug acting on bile, cholesterol reabsorption.
 Pancreas is diffuse, therefore difficult to produce pancreactomy.
 In stomach, fundus and pyloric parts have a clear lining between them.
 Gastric acid secretion is continued.
Experimental Uses (adult weight 200-250gm, age suitable for most of experiments 1.5 months)
1) Psycho pharmacological studies.
2) Study of analgesic and anti-convulsants.
3) Bio-assay of various hormones such as insulin, oxitocin, vasopressin, etc.
4) Study of estrus cycle, mating behavior and lactation.

2. 5) Studies on isolated tissue preparation like uterus, stomach, vas deferens,
annoccoccygeus muscle, fundus strip, aortic strip, heart, etc.
6) Gastric acid secretion study.
7) Acute and chronic toxicity studies.
2. GUINEA PIG (Scientific name: Cavia porcellus) :
It is docile animals. It is highly susceptible to tuberculosis and anaphylaxis. It is also highly
sensitive to histamine and penicillin. It requires exogenous ascorbic acid in diet.
Experimental uses (adult weight 400-600g, age suitable for experimental 3 months)
1. Evaluation of bronchodilators.
2. Study of histamine and anti histamine.
3. Evaluation of local anesthetic.
4. Hearing experiments because of sensitive cochlea.
5. Anaphylactic and immunological studies.
6. Study of tuberculosis and ascorbic acid metabolism.
3. MOUSE (Scientific name: Mus musculus):
Swiss albino mice are commonly used they the smallest, cheap and easy to handle.
Experimental uses (adult weight: 20-25; age suitable for experiments 1 month)
1) Toxicological studies, specifically acute and sub acute toxicity. They are
also use in teratogenicity.
2) Study of drugs acting on CNS.
3) Bioassay of insulin.
4) Screening of analgesic and anticonvulsants.

3. 5) Screening of chemotherapeutic agents.
6) Study related to genetics and cancer research.
4. RABBIT (Scientific name: Lupas or Oryctolagus cuniculus):
It is also docile animal with large ears. Usually New Zealand white rabbits are used. The enzyme
atropine esterase is present in rabbit liver and plasma so it can be tolerate large dose of atropine.
Vasodilator nerve is absent and so dale’s vasomotor reversal phenomenon cannot be
demonstrated. Histamine cause rise in blood pressure. Ovulation is coitus induced and occur 10th
day after coitus.
Experimental uses (adult weight: 1.5-3 kg; age suitable for experiment 5-6 months)
1) Pyrogen testing.
2) Irritancy tests.
3) Study of drugs used in glaucoma, miotics and mydriatics.
4) Pharmacokinetics studies.
5) Studies related to reproduction (anti fertility agents.)
6) Study of local anesthetics.