ANIMAL MONITORING SHEET

Version: #

Date: DD/MM/YYYY

AEC Project No
Investigator
Cage/Animal ID Number
Species & Strain
Animal Details (sex, age etc..)
  • Each animal is examined and observed for abnormalities at each time point (weekly or daily as appropriate)
  • Observations are recorded in the table (refer to last page for scoring)
  • Normal clinical signs are recorded as “N” and abnormalities are recorded as “A”
  • Severity of each abnormality is scored in brackets, e.g.,“Breathing: A (3)”
  • Comments concerning abnormalities are recorded in the comments section of the table
  • Additional observations tailored to the monitoring requirements for each experiment are added at “Other”
  • Surgical site appearance is checked daily for several days.

CLINICAL OBSERVATION
(N or A) /
DATES

UNDISTURBED

Activity
Alert/Sleeping
Breathing

Coat

Drinking
Eating
Movement/gait
ON HANDLING

Alert

Body condition
Bodyweight (g)
Breathing
Dehydration
Eyes
Faeces
Nose
Vocalisation
OTHER (specify)
COMMENTS
SURGICAL SITE APPEARANCE
INITIALS:
Signature of investigator/manager / Date

Updated Feb 20131

CLINICAL SIGNS SEVERITY SCORE – Category I (1-3)
SIGNS / 0 / 1 / 2 / 3
Activity / normal / isolated, abnormal posture / huddled/inactive
OR overactive / moribund
OR fitting
Alertness/Sleeping / normal / dull or depressed / little response to handling / unconscious
Coat / normal / coat rough / unkempt; wounds, hair thinning / bleeding or infected wounds, or severe hairloss or self mutilation
Faeces / normal / faeces moist / loose, soiled perineum / Presence of diarrhoea for 48 hours OR no faeces for 48 hrs OR presence of blood on faeces
Movement/
gait / normal / slight OR abnormal gait / walking on tiptoe OR reluctance to move / staggering OR limb dragging OR paralysis
Nose / normal / wetness / discharge / Obstruction of nasal passages or constant purulent discharge
Vocalisation / normal / squeaks when palpated / struggles and squeaks loudly in response to handling of a body part & signs of aggression / persistent and repetitive vocalisation without handling
Surgical site appearance / normal (no swelling or redness) / mild redness, mild swelling of wound / Presence of discharge and presence of moderate swelling / redness and swelling of the wound OR loss of wound clip and/or separation of wound edges. *Euthanasia if re-suturing and/or surgical intervention fails
CLINICAL SIGNS SEVERITY SCORE – Category II (1-3)
SIGNS / 0 / 1 / 2 / 3
Body condition / normal / thin / loss of body fat, failure to grow / loss of muscle mass that enables palpation of the spine
Body weight / normal weight and growth rate / reduced growth rate / Chronic weight loss >10%** OR failure to grow / acute weight loss>10% *
chronic weight loss 15% ** OR failure to grow for juveniles or failure to stabilise body weight
Breathing / normal / rapid, shallow / rapid, abdominal breathing / laboured, irregular, or gaping mouth breaking, and/orblue skin
Dehydration / none / skin less elastic / skin tenting / skin tenting & eyes sunken
Drinking / normal / increased OR decreased intake over 24 hrs / increased OR decreased intake over 48 hours / constantly drinking OR not drinking over 24 hours
Eating / normal / increased OR decreased intake over 24 hours / increased OR decreased intake over 48 hours / obese OR not eating over 48 hours
Eyes / normal / wetness or dullness / discharge / Vision obstructed
Other

*, Acute refers to the weight loss occurring within 2 days.

**, Chronic refers to the weight loss occurring within 7 days;

SPECIAL HUSBANDRY REQUIREMENTS

EUTHANASIA/HUMANE EXPERIMENTAL ENDPOINT CRITERIA

1)Category I clinical signs:

  • Mandatory euthanasia should be performed if an animal scored 3 for any clinical signs from column 3.
  • Separate from the condition above, the animals will be closely monitored or euthanised based on the total scoring system as given below.

Total Score / Classification/Action
0-2 / Good Health
3-8 / Health to be monitoreddaily
9-12 / Poor Health – Observe animals twice daily, if no improvement within 48 hours mandatory euthanasia
13 and above / Mandatory euthanasia

2)Category II clinical signs:

  • Mandatory euthanasia should be performed if an animal scored 3 for any clinical sign from column 3. This includes acute ( >10%) or chronic ( >15%) weight loss.
  • Animals with clinical signs with a single score of 4 will be closely monitored (twice daily) and consider for euthanasia if the condition is deteriorating.
  • Separate from the two conditions above, the animals will be closely monitored or euthanised based on the total scoring system as given below.

Total Score / Classification/Action
0-2 / Good Health
3-8 / Health to be monitored daily
9-12 / Poor Health – Observe animals twice daily, if no improvement within 48 hours mandatory euthanasia
13 and above / Mandatory euthanasia

Updated Feb 20131