Laboratory animals such as mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits are commonly used for experiments in various areas of research including pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, and disease diagnosis. Mice are used for toxicology and cancer research studies while rats are used for pharmacological studies. Guinea pigs are used for microbiological studies and tuberculosis diagnosis. Hamsters are used in cancer and parasitological research. Rabbits are employed in pyrogen testing, immunological research, and reproductive studies. Laboratory animals provide valuable data for testing drugs and vaccines before human use and allow researchers to study various diseases and biological processes.
2. Laboratory animals
⚫“Laboratory Animals” are defined as animals which
are used for experimental and diagnosis purpose which
may resemble in result with human beings.
⚫They can be very well used for carrying out various
biological experiments and research in biomedical as
well as veterinary and animal sciences.
5. ⚫Mice: are used for toxicological purpose,
microbiological and vaccine assay, insulin testing, ID,
LD-50, studies on cancer tissues various drug studies,
especially toxicologyof variousdrugs.
⚫80 % of experiments are done on rodents.
⚫About 70% of experiments are done on mice.
10. ⚫Guinea Pigs: these laboratory animals are used for
microbiological studies, allergic, anaphylactic shock
and preparation of anti sera.
⚫Guinea pigs are used in lab. Diagnosis of T.B. Because
lesionsof T. B. are prominent in Guinea pigs.
16. Importance (Utility/Role) of Laboratory Animals
Laboratory animals are used in basic biological research, diseases
medicine and
diagnosis, immunology, virology, applied
demonstration.
1. Pharmacology
2. Toxicology
3. Physiology
4. Experimental surgery
5. Diagnosis-Virology, Bacteriology, Pathology
6. Pregnancy testing
7. Bio-assay-vaccines, drugs and infusion fluids
8. Preparation of immune sera.
17. Bio-assay
⚫To confirm safety potency and utility of vaccines,
drugs, infusion fluids, immune sera, bio-assay is of
great help.
⚫These all aspects are standardized in laboratory
animals, prior to their distribution in the field.
⚫The level of toxins and toxins also need to be
confirmed for their potency.
18. movement began against
⚫19th century a major
animal experimentation.
⚫The Victoria Street Society (1875) in England.
⚫England that the first low on the protection of
experimental animals (Cruelty to Animals Act,1876)
19. Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC)
⚫“Laboratory Animal Bureau” was set up in India in
1947.
⚫CPCSEA Committee for the purpose of control &
supervision of experiments on animals under rule.
⚫CCMB Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology
⚫24th April World laboratory day
20. Biological data of Laboratory animals
s.n
o.
Physiological
Norms
Mice Rat Hamste
r
Guinea
pig
Rabbit
1 Gestation
period
21 days 21 16 68-72 30-32
2 Estrous cycle 4 days 5 4 16 continuou
s
3 Ovulation
mechanism
Spontaneo
us
Spontan
eous
Spontan
eous
Spontan
eous
Induced
4 Duration of
heat period
13 hrs 14 hrs 12 hrs 09 hrs 10 hrs
5 Breeding age 6 weeks 10-12 06-08 5
months
6 months
6 Breeding life 1-1.5 year 1-1.5 1-1.5 2-3 year 3 year
7 Method of
breeding
Harem
breeding
1male 4
1:4 1:2 1: 6 1:1
21. s.n
o.
Physiologica
l Norms
Mice Rat Hamster Guinea
pig
Rabbit
8. Birth weight ½-1 gm 5-6 gm 2 gm 75-100
gm
100gm
9 Litter size 07-09 do 05-07 03-05 05-10
10 Weaning age 21 days 21 21 10 45
11 Weaning
weight
25-30
gm
35-40 40 180-200
gm
800-1kg
12 Opening of
eyes
11 days
after
birth
10-12 10 At birth 10-12
13 Daily food
consumption
5 gm 15 15 30-50 100
14 Daily water
requirement
6 ml 24 ml 30 30 120-150
22. 15 Opening of
eyes
11 days
after
birth
10-12 10 At birth 10-12
16 Pulse
rate/mint
120 120 150 120 130
17 Respiration 110 110 110-150 110 120-130
18 Scientific
name
Mus
musculus
Rattus
novergicu
s
Mesocrice
tus
auratis
Cavia
porcellus
Orectolagus
cuniculus
19 Chromosome
number
40 42 22 64 44
20 No. of pairs of
mammary
05 05 6-7 01 3-4
21 Common
diseases
Salmonell
a, Typhoid
Salmonell
a, CRD
Wet tail Salmonella,
pasturella,
pseudotube
rculosis
pasturella,
Mange,
Coccidiosis
22 Remarks Teats are
absent in
male
‘’ Cheek
pouches
+, gall
Vitamin C
is must in
the diet