ALAT Chapter 12 Medications

Medications Used in Animal Facilities

• Animal facilities use drugs to ensure animal health and minimize pain and distress during procedures.

• Anesthetics and analgesics are used to alleviate or prevent pain, while other drugs fight infections or kill parasites.

• Drugs are prescribed by the veterinary staff and must be used for each animal on the study unless the veterinarian prescribes a change or the protocol is approved by the IACUC.

• Personnel responsible for drug administration must be properly trained to avoid illness or death of the animal.

• The same drug may cause different effects in various species due to their unique physiological characteristics.

• Analgesics include opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and relieve pain through different mechanisms.

• NSAIDs have the potential to injure the stomach lining and cause death in severe cases.

• Steroids are a class of anti-inflammatory drugs commonly used in research as an immunosuppressant during organ transplantation studies.

• Anesthetics cause a loss of feeling or awareness of pain and are classified as general, regional, or local.

• Tranquilizers are used to calm and sedate animals and reduce the amount of anesthetic needed to produce anesthesia.

• Vaccines are considered mandatory veterinary care under the Guide and are required before transport.

• Controlled substances are drugs that are potentially addictive to humans, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulates their manufacture, possession, and use.Drug Use and Administration in Animal Facilities

• Different types of drugs are used in animal facilities, including analgesics, anesthetics, and drugs to combat infection or parasitic infestation.

• Controlled substances have a potential for abuse and require strict storage, use, disposal, and recordkeeping rules.

• Drugs can be administered orally, rectally, by injection, inhalation, or topically, depending on the animal and the medication.

• The use of drugs must be authorized by a veterinarian, and facilities have standardized forms for animal treatment, health, and surgery records.

• Health records document observations, treatments, and procedures, while surgery forms document anesthesia, animal monitoring, and the procedure itself.

• Drug treatment records should include the drug name, amount given, date, and time, and should be written in pen and signed or initialed by the technician.

• Errors in drug treatment records may need to be corrected and initialed, rather than erased.

• Drugs must be stored correctly, used before their expiration date, and administered only under the direction of a veterinarian.

• The decision to administer medication to research animals involves consultation between the clinical veterinarian and the investigator.

• Different species may have unique physiological characteristics that affect their response to drugs, such as cats' sensitivity to opioids and NSAIDs.

• Careful consideration must be given to the potential effects of drugs on experimental results.

• Medications may be added to a water bath for fish or amphibians to absorb through their gills or skin.

Medications Used in Animal Facilities

• Animal facilities use drugs to ensure animal health and minimize pain and distress during procedures.

• Anesthetics and analgesics are used to alleviate or prevent pain, while other drugs fight infections or kill parasites.

• Drugs prescribed or used by the veterinary staff for clinical purposes must be approved by the IACUC.

• The same drug may cause different effects in various species due to their unique physiological characteristics.

• Opioids and NSAIDs are the two main categories of analgesics used in animals, and they relieve pain through different mechanisms.

• Steroids are commonly used in research as an immunosuppressant during organ transplantation studies.

• Anesthetics are classified as general, regional, or local, depending on how and where they act on the body.

• Tranquilizers are often used before anesthetic administration to calm the animal and induce anesthesia more smoothly.

• Antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and parasiticides are drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.

• Controlled substances are drugs that are potentially addictive to humans and are regulated by the DEA.

• Expired drugs must be discarded or at least clearly marked as expired and stored separately from the drugs currently in use.

• Proper drug storage conditions are essential to ensure safety and efficiency, and drugs can be administered orally, rectally, parenterally, by inhalation, or topically.Drug Use and Management in Animal Facilities

• Various drugs are used in animal facilities, including analgesics, anesthetics, and drugs to combat infection or parasitic infestation.

• Controlled substances are drugs that have a potential for abuse, and strict rules apply to their storage, use, disposal, and recordkeeping.

• Drugs may be administered orally, rectally, by injection, or by inhalation, and topical drugs are directly applied to the eyes, ears, or skin.

• All use of drugs must be authorized by a veterinarian, and careful records must be kept.

• Facilities generally have standardized forms for animal treatment records, health records, and surgery.

• Health records document observations, treatments, and procedures on the animals, while surgery forms document the anesthesia, animal monitoring during and after surgery, and the procedure itself.

• When drugs are administered, the record entry should state the drug name, the amount given, the date, and the time, and the technician should sign or initial the entry.

• Errors must be addressed by correcting and initialing the mistake, not by erasing the entry, in some facilities.

• It is important to store drugs correctly and use them before their expiration date.

• The decision to administer a medication to research animals generally involves consultation between the clinical veterinarian and the investigator.

• The same drug may cause different effects in various species due to their unique physiological characteristics.

• Cats are very sensitive to the effects of opioids and NSAIDs, while penicillin can be fatal if given to guinea pigs but is not harmful to most other species.

Medications Used in Animal Facilities

• Animal facilities use drugs to ensure animal health and minimize pain and distress during procedures.

• Anesthetics and analgesics are used to alleviate or prevent pain, while other drugs fight infections or kill parasites.

• Drugs prescribed or used by the veterinary staff for clinical purposes must be approved by the IACUC.

• The same drug may cause different effects in various species due to their unique physiological characteristics.

• Opioids and NSAIDs are the two main categories of analgesics used in animals, and they relieve pain through different mechanisms.

• Steroids are commonly used in research as an immunosuppressant during organ transplantation studies.

• Anesthetics are classified as general, regional, or local, depending on how and where they act on the body.

• Tranquilizers are often used before anesthetic administration to calm the animal and induce anesthesia more smoothly.

• Antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and parasiticides are drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.

• Controlled substances are drugs that are potentially addictive to humans and are regulated by the DEA.

• Expired drugs must be discarded or at least clearly marked as expired and stored separately from the drugs currently in use.

• Proper drug storage conditions are essential to ensure safety and efficiency, and drugs can be administered orally, rectally, parenterally, by inhalation, or topically.Drug Use and Management in Animal Facilities

• Various drugs are used in animal facilities, including analgesics, anesthetics, and drugs to combat infection or parasitic infestation.

• Controlled substances are drugs that have a potential for abuse, and strict rules apply to their storage, use, disposal, and recordkeeping.

• Drugs may be administered orally, rectally, by injection, or by inhalation, and topical drugs are directly applied to the eyes, ears, or skin.

• All use of drugs must be authorized by a veterinarian, and careful records must be kept.

• Facilities generally have standardized forms for animal treatment records, health records, and surgery.

• Health records document observations, treatments, and procedures on the animals, while surgery forms document the anesthesia, animal monitoring during and after surgery, and the procedure itself.

• When drugs are administered, the record entry should state the drug name, the amount given, the date, and the time, and the technician should sign or initial the entry.

• Errors must be addressed by correcting and initialing the mistake, not by erasing the entry, in some facilities.

• It is important to store drugs correctly and use them before their expiration date.

• The decision to administer a medication to research animals generally involves consultation between the clinical veterinarian and the investigator.

• The same drug may cause different effects in various species due to their unique physiological characteristics.

• Cats are very sensitive to the effects of opioids and NSAIDs, while penicillin can be fatal if given to guinea pigs but is not harmful to most other species.

Overview of Medications Used in Animal Facilities

• Animal facilities use different types of drugs to ensure animal health and minimize pain and distress during procedures.

• The veterinary staff prescribes appropriate drugs for each animal, and drugs specified in an animal protocol are selected in consultation with a facility veterinarian prior to approval.

• All personnel responsible for drug administration must be properly trained, as giving the wrong amount or using an incorrect route of administration can result in illness or death of the animal.

• The same drug may cause different effects in various species due to their unique physiological characteristics.

• Analgesics are pain relievers, and there are two main categories: opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

• Anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used to reduce swelling, redness, and pain, and steroids are a class of anti-inflammatory drugs that suppress the immune system and inflammation.

• Anesthetics cause a loss of feeling or awareness of pain and are classified as general, regional, or local, depending on how and where they act on the body.

• Tranquilizers calm and sedate animals and are often used before anesthetic administration to calm the animal and induce anesthesia more smoothly.

• Antimicrobials are drugs that treat infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses.

• Parasiticides kill parasites living on or in an animal, and there are different types of parasiticides for different parasites.

• Controlled substances, such as tranquilizers, analgesics, and anesthetics, are potentially addictive to humans and are regulated by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

• Proper drug storage is essential to ensure safety and efficiency, and drugs may be administered orally, rectally, parenterally, by inhalation, or topically, depending on the drug and the animal's need.Drug Use and Management in Animal Facilities

• Various types of drugs are used in animal facilities, including analgesics, anesthetics, and drugs to combat infection or parasitic infestation.

• Controlled substances have strict rules for storage, use, disposal, and recordkeeping due to their potential for abuse.

• Drugs can be administered through oral, rectal, injection, inhalation, or topical routes.

• All drug use must be authorized by a veterinarian, and careful records must be kept.

• Standardized forms for animal treatment, health, and surgery records are used in facilities.

• Health records document observations, treatments, and procedures on animals, while surgery forms document anesthesia, monitoring, and the procedure itself.

• Drug treatment records should include the drug name, amount given, date, time, and technician's signature.

• Errors in record-keeping must be addressed by correcting and initialing the mistake, not erasing the entry.

• Proper drug storage and use before their expiration date is crucial.

• Consultation between the clinical veterinarian and investigator is necessary before administering drugs to research animals.

• Different species may have unique physiological characteristics that affect drug effects, such as cats being sensitive to opioids and NSAIDs.

• Penicillin can be fatal to guinea pigs but is not harmful to most other species.