Animal Health and Veterinary Information

Information concerning the current health status can be accessed by logging into the University of Kentucky Blackboard system. If you are unable to view the ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR RESEARCHERS WORKING WITH ANIMALS Please email our training coordinator for enrollment information

As our site continues to expand, we have included in this section a table of commonly used analgesics and their dosages for rabbits and rodents, as well as other species. We have included in this section recommendations, guidelines and information on various topics relating to the overall health and well being of research animals

Recommended Anesthesia for Some Laboratory Animal Species
A Good, Safe Rabbit Pre-med Anesthsia
Open-Drop or Nose Cone Method of Isoflurane Anesthesia in Mice and Rats
Preparation and Use of Tribromoethanol or Avertin
Guidelines for Procedures in Animal Housing Rooms
DLAR Guidelines for Blood Collection in Laboratory Animals
Tumor Models in Rodents
DLAR Guidelines for Acclimation Periods for Newly Received Laboratory Animals
Implantation of Osmotic Pumps in Rodents
Tissue Collection (Biopsy) for Genetic Identification of Rodents
Care of weanling mice and rat pups
Malocclusion in the Laboratory Mouse a Jackson Labs JAX ® NOTES article
Hydrocephalus in Laboratory Mice a Jackson Labs JAX ® NOTES article
Markers for Heightened Monitoring, Imminent Death, and Euthanasia in Aged Inbred Mice
* The complete article from Comparative Medicine Vol 62, No 3 June 2012 Pages 172–178
Ulcerative Dermatitis in C57BL/6 Mice Exhibits an Oxidative Stress Response Consistent with Normal
Wound Healing......* Comparative Medicine Vol 62, No 3 June 2012 Pages 166-171

If there are any questions, please consult with one of our health care staff and our DLAR veterinarians should you require assistance.

Non-steroidal and Opioid Analgesics for Rodents and Rabbits

Analgesic	Class of Drug	Mouse	Rat	Guinea Pig	Gerbil	Hamster	Rabbit
Acetaminophen	NSAID	300 mg/kg PO	100-300 mg/kg PO (6 mg/ml drinking water)	---	100-300 mg/kg PO (6 mg/ml drinking water)	100-300 mg/kg PO (6 mg/ml drinking water)	1 ml drug/100ml drinking water
Carprofen	NSAID	10.0 mg/kg SC or PO q 12-24 hours	5-7 mg/kg SC or PO q 12-24 hours	2.5 mg/kg SC q 24 hours	5.0-10.0 mg/kg SC or PO q 12-24 hours	5.0-10.0 mg/kg SC or PO q 12-24 hours	1.5-5 mg/kg PO, or 4 mg/kg SC q 24 hours
Flunixin	NSAID	2.5 mg/kg SC q 12 hours	1.1-2.5 mg/kg SC q 2 hours	1.1-2.5 mg/kg SC q 2 hours	1.1-2.5 mg/kg SC q 2 hours	1.1-2.5 mg/kg SC q 2 hours	1.1 mg/kg SC or IM q 12 hours
Ketoprofen	NSAID	---	5.0 mg/kg IM q 12-24 hours	---	5.0 mg/kg IM q 12-24 hours	5.0 mg/kg IM q 12-24 hours	3.0 mg/kg IM q 24 hours
Meloxicam	NSAID	2-5 mg/kg IP q 12-24 hours	1-4 mg/kg SC or IP q 24 hours	1-2 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hours	1.0 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hours	1.0 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hours	0.3-0.6 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hours
Buprenorphine	Opioid	0.05-0.1 mg/kg  SC q 3-5 hours **see below	0.01-0.05 mg/kg SC q 6-8 hours **see below	0.05 mg/kg SC q 6-12 hours	0.1-0.2 mg/kg SC q 6-12 hours	0.05-0.5 mg/kg SC q 6-12 hours	0.02-0.1 mg/kg IV or SC q 6-12 hours
Buprenorphine SR (sustained release)	Opioid	0.72 mg/kg to 1.44 mg/kg given once every 3 days ***see below for formulation	0.6 mg/kg given  once every 3 days ***see below for formulation	____________	____________	____________	_____________
Oral Buprenophine in Nutella	Opioid	Formula and Preparation for Administration to Mice and Rats
Oral Buprenophine in ClearH2O Medigel Sucralose and Hazelnut flavor Medigel	Opioid	Formula and Preparation for Administration to Mice and Rats
Nalbuphine	Opioid	4-8 mg/kg IM q 4 hours	2-5 mg/kg IM q 4 hours	1-2 mg/kg IM q 4 hours	1-2 mg/kg IM q 4 hours	1-2 mg/kg IM q 4 hours	1-2 mg/kg IM or IV q 4 hours
Meperidine (Demerol)	Opioid	10-20 mg/kg SC or IM q 2-3 hours	10-20 mg/kg SC or IM q 2-3 hours	10-20 mg/kg SC or IM q 2-3 hours	10-20 mg/kg SC or IM q 2-3 hours	10-20 mg/kg SC or IM q 2-3 hours	5-10 mg/kg SC or IM q 2-3 hours

Other analgesics and multimodal combinations of analgesics can be used. Please consult with a DLAR veterinarian for further details.
** Contact our DLAR Veterinarians for further information if needed
*** Dose depending on pain severity DLAR recommends that you access the link provided here for further information on Dosing of Buprenophine SR-Lab

DLAR also recommends giving Injectable analgesic during surgery or at the beginning of surgery to allow time for the analgesic to begin working before the animal would be perceiving pain.  Preferably allow 30 minutes to one hour.

REFERENCES

• Anesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals, Second Edition,  Richard E Fish, Marilyn J Brown, Peggy J Danneman, Alicia Z Karas (eds.) American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine Series,  2008.
• Formulary for Laboratory Animals, Third Edition, Compiled by C Terrance Hawk, Steven L Leary, Timothy H Morris, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Blackwell Publishing, 2005.
• Formulary for Laboratory Animals, Second Edition, Compiled by C Terrance Hawk, Steven L Leary, Timothy H Morris, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Blackwell Publishing, 1999.
  ZooPharm Formulation for: Pain Management in Laboratory Animals Information Sheet Buprenophine SR™ Lab
  

Other Species

Non-steroidal and Opioid Analgesics for Large Laboratory Animal Species

Analgesic	Class of Drug	Ferret	Cat	Dog	Pig	Sheep	NHP
Carprofen	NSAID	2-4 mg/kg PO or SC q 24hrs	4.0 mg/kg SC or IV once only	2.0 mg/kg SC or IV q12 hrs or 4.0 mg/kg SC or IV q24 hrs.	2.0-4.0 mg/kg SC or IV q 24h for 2-3 days	1.5-2.0 mg/kg SC or IV q 24h for 2-3 days	2.0-4.0 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hrs up to 4 days
Flunixin	NSAID	0.3 mg/kg PO or SC q 24hrs	1.0 mg/kg IV or IM q 24 hrs	1.0 mg/kg IV or IM q 24 hrs	1.0-2.2 mg/kg IV or SC q 24 hrs	1.5-2.0 mg/kg IV or SC q 24 hrs	2.0-4.0 mg/kg SC or IV q 24 hrs
Ketoprofen	NSAID	1-2 mg/kg PO or SC q 24hrs	2.0 mg/kg SC q 24 hrs up to 3 days	2.0 mg/kg SC q 24 hrs up to 3 days	3.0 mg/kg SC only once	1.0 mg/kg IM q 24hrs for up to 3 days	NA
Meloxicam	NSAID	0.2 mg/kg PO or SC q 24hrs	0.2 mg/kg SC or PO on first day of treatment, then 0.1 mg/kg q 24 hrs	0.2 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hrs	0.2-0.3 mg/kg SC or PO q 24 hrs	NA	0.2-0.3 mg/kg PO q 24 hrs up to 4 days
Buprenorphine	Opioid	0.01-0.03 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV q 8-12 hrs	0.005-0.01 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV q 8-12 hrs	0.005-0.02 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV q 6-12 hrs	0.005-0.02 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV q 6-12 hrs	0.005-0.01 mg/kg IM, SC, or IV q 6-12 hrs	0.01-0.02 mg/kg IM, or SC q 6-12 hrs
Butorphanol	Opioid	0.2-0.8 mg/kg IM or SC q 2 hrs	0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM, or IV q 3-4 hrs	0.2-0.4 mg/kg IM, or IV q 3-4 hrs	0.1-0.3 mg/kg IM q 4-6 hrs	0.5 mg/kg SC q 2-3 hrs	0.05 mg/kg IM q 6-8 hrs
Morphine	Opioid	0.5-2 mg/kg IM or SC q 4-6 hrs	0.1 mg/kg IM q 4 hrs	0.5-5.0 mg/kg IM q 4 hrs	0.2-1.0 mg/kg IM q 4 hrs	0.1-2.0 mg/kg IM q 4 hrs	0.2-1.0 mg/kg IM q 4 hrs
Pethidine (Meperidine)	Opioid	5-10 mg/kg IM q 2-4 hrs	2-10 mg/kg IM or IV q 2 hrs	6-10 mg/kg IM or SC q 2-3 hrs	2 mg/kg IV q 4 hrs OR 4-10 mg/kg IM	2 mg/kg IM q 2 hrs	2-4 mg/kg IM q 4 hrs
Fentanyl	Opiod	NA	Patch q 72hrs	Patch q 72 hrs	IV q 4 hrs	NA	NA

Other analgesics and multimodal combinations of analgesics can be used. Please consult with a DLAR veterinarian for further details.

REFERENCES

• Anesthesia and Analgesia in Laboratory Animals, Second Edition,  Richard E Fish, Marilyn J Brown, Peggy J Danneman, Alicia Z Karas (eds.) American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine Series,  2008.
• Formulary for Laboratory Animals, Third Edition, Compiled by C Terrance Hawk, Steven L Leary, Timothy H Morris, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Blackwell Publishing, 2005.
• Formulary for Laboratory Animals, Second Edition, Compiled by C Terrance Hawk, Steven L Leary, Timothy H Morris, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Blackwell Publishing, 1999.