FAQ
Frequently asked questions of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and Office of Animal Resources.
- Where can I get mice phenotyped?
- Where can I get blood chemistries performed?
- Where can I get complete blood counts performed?
- Do I have to take the required animal use training program?
- How do I register to take the animal use training program?
- How do I order animals?
- How do I request transfer of animals (nonrodents) between Oakdale campus and Main campus?
- How do I request transfer of rodents from the Oakdale rodent barrier (Multi-tenant facility) to the main campus?
- How do I request transfer animals between rooms in the same facility?
- How do I request the transfer animals to the University from another institution?
- How do I request transfer of animals from the University of Iowa to another institution?
- Can I transport my own animals around campus?
- How long may I keep an animal in my laboratory?
- When do I need to wean rodents?
- What are the requirements to perform rodent survival surgery in my laboratory?
- Where can I perform surgery on non-rodent species?
- How do I update my inventory after I have euthanized an animal?
- Can I use dry ice as a source of CO2 for euthanasia?
- Can I use ether as an anesthetic or euthanizing agent?
- Where do I dispose of animals after euthanasia?
- How are per diems (daily animal maintenance charge) established?
- If I am only using chicken eggs (embryos) do I need to complete an Animal Care and Use Review form?
- Do I have to complete an Animal Care Use Review Form if I am only using "animal parts?"
- Do I need to complete an Animal Care and Use Review form if the "only" use of animals will be to contract for the production of antibody? production by an outside vendor?
- When am I required to submit an amendment to my approved Animal Care and Use form?
- Do I have to resubmit a protocol if the same animal model (i.e. procedures) will be used in a new grant application?
- Do I have to submit a protocol approved by the VA if it is going to be performed at the University?
- Can I use hypothermia for anesthesia of amphibians?
- Can I use hypothermia for anesthesia of rodents?
- Can I use Complete Freund's adjuvant?
- Can I use the ascites method to produce monoclonal antibodies?
- Where can I obtain a DEA license?
1. Where can I get mice phenotyped?
Most of the major rodent vendors and major diagnostic laboratories will phenotype mice for a fee?
Charles River Labs http://www.criver.com/research_models_and_services/
Taconic Labs http://www.taconic.com/RAS/phenotyping.htm
Research Animal Diagnostic Laboratory (University of Missouri) http://radil.missouri.edu/
2. Where can I get blood chemistries performed?
You can request the University to perform blood chemistries (contact Jeff Kulhavy; 356-3531); Typically 200 ul of serum is required; all tests that are routinely performed on humans can be run; However, they can't tell you if it is abnormal or not, since they haven't established the normal range in their lab for each species. Research pricing is available. Off campus resources: http://www.criver.com; http://radil.missouri.edu/
3. Where can I get complete blood counts performed?
You can request the University to perform CBC's (contact Mary Capper; 6-3530; or Glenda Skallerud, 6-2534). Results can be standardized to one of three common mouse strains; two rat strains and various other species. Research pricing is available. Off campus resources: http://www.criver.com; http://radil.missouri.edu/
4. Do I have to take the required animal use training program?
Everyone that has contact with animals and/or is listed on an Animal Care and Use Review Form (ACURF), is required to take the "regulations" module of the Animal Use Educational course. All other modules of that course are voluntary but encouraged. If you perform surgery (survival or non-survival) on the animal you will also have to take the "surgery" module.
5. How do I register to take the animal use training program?
E-mail iacuc-training@uiowa.edu and in that message include your University HawkID and University e-mail address.
6. How do I order animals?
-Call 5-7985 to order animals (8 am-12:00; 12:30-4:30 pm). For rodents from the major companies fro arrive the next wee, the deadlines are:
| NCI |
Weds by 11 am |
| Jackson |
Weds by 4 pm |
| Charles River |
Thursday by 4 pm |
| Harlan |
Thursday by 4 pm |
| Taconic |
Thursday by 4 pm |
Call for availability of other specie.
You will need to provide the following information to place an order:
-The number from the applicable approved Animal Care and Use Form (ACURF)
-The appropriate account number (MFK) assigned to that protocol
-The investigator number
-The quantity, strain, sex, age or weight of animals being ordered
7. How do I request transfer of animals (nonrodents) between Oakdale campus and Main campus? (does not apply to Oakdale rodent barrier (Multi-tenant facility):
-Call 5-7985 before 11 am on the day before the animals need to arrive.
8. How do I request transfer of rodents from the Oakdale rodent barrier (Multi-tenant facility) to the main campus?
-e-mail mtf-barrier@uiowa.edu before 11 am on the day before the animals need to arrive.
9. How do I request transfer animals between rooms in the same facility?
Animals cannot be transferred between rooms by investigative staff. Request transfer from the area supervisor. There is a supervisor office located in each facility. (BSB, Psychology, Biology; 5-7998)(ML 5-7994)(Oakdale 5-4198).
10. How do I request the transfer animals to the University from another institution?
Go to this web page
11. How do I request transfer of animals from the University of Iowa to another institution?
Go to this web page
12. Can I transport my own animals around campus?
It is permissible to transport your own animals if is within the same building in which they are housed or in a building that is contiguous with where they are housed. In most other circumstances, the Office of Animal Resources will provide transportation.
13. How long may I keep an animal in my laboratory?
You can keep an animal in your laboratory up to 12 hours without additional approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IACUC will also routinely allow that animals remain in the laboratory up to 24 hours if it has been requested on the Animal Care and Use Review Form.
14. When do I need to wean rodents?
Rodents should be weaned by at least 23 days of age.
15. What are the requirements to perform rodent survival surgery in my laboratory?
The area should be dedicated for rodent surgery at the time of use and should be away from any traffic areas in the laboratory. Further guidelines on rodent survival surgery can be found at this link.
16. Where can I perform surgery on non-rodent species?
For most species other than rodents, amphibians and fish, you are required to use the animal surgical facility located on the third floor of the Medical Laboratories building. Call 335 -8977 to arrange for use.
17. How do I update my inventory after I have euthanized an animal?
-An inventory is taken of all animals every month to update the records. In the interim, changes in animal inventory have to be submitted to the Office of Animal Resources using the yellow "Transfer/Death Slips" (mice ;all other specie) that can be found in the offices located in each building. If investigators fail to complete the proper forms they will be charged for animals that they have euthanized until the next animal inventory is performed by the Office of Animal Resources.
18. Can I use dry ice as a source of CO2 for euthanasia?
No, the American Veterinary Medical Association has recommended that this method not be utilized. This method cannot be used at the University of Iowa.
19. Can I use ether as an anesthetic or euthanizing agent?
There are several anesthetics that can replace ether. Since ether is an explosive and is irritating to the mucous membranes it cannot be used routinely as an anesthetic or euthanizing agent. I can never be utilized in Office of Animal Resources facilities. Ether can only be utilized in the investigator's laboratory if it is has been scientifically justified and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
20. Where do I dispose of animals after euthanasia?
Each animal facility has a cooler or freezer in which euthanized animals are stored. Animals should be placed in a plastic bag before disposal. The animals should then be placed in the red containers that are present in the large coolers.
21. How are per diems (daily animal maintenance charge) established?
Per Diems are established annually after review of cost accounting data. The Office of Animal Resources is approximately 70% cost recovery with the remainder being subsidized by the University. National Institute of Health policies are followed to establish the appropriate per diem (Circular A-21 and cost accounting manual).
22. If I am only using chicken eggs (embryos) do I need to complete an Animal Care and Use Review form?
No; NIH/OPRR has made the following interpretation of the PHS Policy for governmental biomedical research.
"The PHS Policy is applicable to proposed activities that involve live vertebate animals. While embryonal stages of avian species develop vertebrae at a stage in their development prior to hatching, OPRR has interpreted 'live vertebrate animal' to apply to avians (e.g. chick embryos) only after hatching."
23. Do I have to complete an Animal Care and Use Review Form if I am only using "animal parts?"
If a live animal was not purchased by the investigator to obtain animal tissue then an ACURF is not necessary. For example if tissue is obtained from an abattoir or from another investigator who is providing tissue on an animal that has been obtained and euthanized for his approved research project, then a ACURF does not have to be submitted
24. Do I need to complete an Animal Care and Use Review Form if the "only" use of animals will be to contract for the production of antibody production by an outside vendor?
No, if there is no other animal use required. However, you should use a vendor that has a PHS assurance number. This can be determined by going to this site.
25. When am I required to submit an amendment to my approved Animal Care and Use Form?
An amendment is required whenever there is a significant change to the approved Animal Care and Use Form. Examples of significant changes are:
-change in anesthetic or analgesic used
-change in specie
-increase in number of animals required
-change in personnel
-change in research focus or procedures
Amendments can be processed by e-mail. Send a description of the amendment(s) to acurf@uiowa.edu; include the protocol # and all changes in the approved protocol that are incurred due to this change (e.g. animal numbers required).
26. Do I have to resubmit a protocol if the same animal model (i.e. procedures) will be used in a new grant application?
In a majority of the cases, yes. Each approved Animal Care and Use Review Form (ACURF) is tied to only one grant application. If the ACURF is exactly the same (except for funding agency), then you can request that an additional ACURF submission be considered a "duplicate" submission. In that case it will be automatically approved but only until the original ACURF expires.
27. Do I have to submit a protocol approved by the VA if it is going to be performed at the University?
If the approval by the VA Animal Care and Use Committee indicates that animals will be housed at the University, the VA Research Office will transfer a copy of the approval to the University IACUC administrator for processing. If there are questions, the University IACUC will contact you.
28. Can I use hypothermia for anesthesia of amphibians?
Used alone, hypothermia is not an acceptable method of anesthesia. It can be utilized for restraint or sedation. For surgical procedures pharmacologic agents (e.g. benzocaine) are used in combination with hypothermia.
29. Can I use hypothermia for anesthesia of rodents?
Hypothermia is only acceptable for use in neonatal mice (neonatal ectotherms) and in that situation is usually only used prior to euthanasia by some other method. Hypothermia is not an acceptable method in older rodents.
30. Can I use Complete Freund's adjuvant?
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee discourages the use of CFA as an adjuvant. Alternatives and guidelines for use can be found at this web address.
31.
This method is strongly discouraged by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. In vitro methods work quite well in most circumstances. The hybridoma/tissue culture core facility (335-6717) will produce monoclonal antibodies using in vitro methods for investigators on campus. Use of the ascites method can only be considered once in vitro methods have not been successful.
32.
DEA licenses can be obtained online at this website:
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