Advancing and refining euthanasia methods in laboratory rodents

推进和完善实验室啮齿动物的安乐死方法

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-02415
• 负责人: Pang, Daniel
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=741810
• 关键词: Advancing; refining; euthanasia; methods; laboratory

The overwhelming majority of laboratory rodents (rats and mice) are killed when research projects end. This process is intended to be humane, providing a rapid, pain-free death ("euthanasia"). Unfortunately, as we understand more about animal behaviour and physiology, it is unclear if current methods truly achieve euthanasia. Two of the most common methods are overdose with carbon dioxide gas and overdose with an inhaled or injected anesthetic drug. There are concerns about each of these methods: 1. The point at which animals become unconscious with carbon dioxide gas is not well-established. It is possible that pain (carbon dioxide irritates the airways) is experienced before this occurs. 2. Rodents find inhaled anesthetic gas aversive. The cause of this is unknown. 3. Overdose with injected anesthetic usually causes unconsciousness and death quickly. However, in up to 20% of rodents, the injected drug ends up in the wrong place and there is a delay before unconsciousness occurs. It is possible that pain occurs during this delay as the anesthetic solution is strongly alkali. My program of research focuses upon understanding how these different methods affect laboratory rodents. The goal of this research is to identify if pain may be occurring before animals become unconscious and to find better methods, with the aim of achieving euthanasia. Tools we use include assessing the presence of pain by evaluating facial expression and monitoring brain wave activity (electroencephalograms) for signs of pain and death. I anticipate identifying both a novel euthanasia method and also offering refinements to existing methods through a better understanding of their strengths and limitations. The assessment methods used and developed will be applicable to evaluating future euthanasia methods. The results of this research have important and far reaching consequences for how we manage end of life care for laboratory rodents within Canada but also internationally, with the potential to improve care for millions of animals annually (in excess of 15 million rodents are used in biomedical research annually between the EU, Canada and the UK). Additionally, this research will provide research training for students from the natural sciences, engineering and veterinary medicine, preparing them for careers in universities, clinical practice and industry.

绝大多数实验室啮齿动物（大鼠和小鼠）在研究项目结束时被杀死。这个过程是人道的，提供一个快速，无痛的死亡（“安乐死”）。不幸的是，随着我们对动物行为和生理学的了解越来越多，目前还不清楚目前的方法是否真正实现了安乐死。两种最常见的方法是过量使用二氧化碳气体和过量使用吸入或注射麻醉药物。对这些方法中的每一种都有关注：1。动物因二氧化碳气体而失去知觉的时间点还没有得到很好的确定。在此之前可能会经历疼痛（二氧化碳刺激气道）。2.啮齿动物对吸入麻醉气体感到厌恶。原因不明。3.过量注射麻醉剂通常会导致昏迷和迅速死亡。然而，在高达20%的啮齿动物中，注射的药物最终出现在错误的位置，并且在无意识发生之前存在延迟。由于麻醉剂溶液是强碱性的，因此在延迟期间可能发生疼痛。我的研究计划侧重于了解这些不同的方法如何影响实验室啮齿动物。这项研究的目的是确定疼痛是否可能在动物失去知觉之前发生，并找到更好的方法，以实现安乐死。我们使用的工具包括通过评估面部表情和监测脑波活动（脑电图）来评估疼痛和死亡的迹象。我期望找到一种新的安乐死方法，并通过更好地了解现有方法的优点和局限性来改进现有方法。所使用和开发的评估方法将适用于评价未来的安乐死方法。这项研究的结果对我们如何管理加拿大实验室啮齿动物的临终关怀具有重要而深远的影响，而且在国际上，每年有可能改善数百万动物的护理（欧盟，加拿大和英国之间每年有超过1500万啮齿动物用于生物医学研究）。此外，这项研究将为来自自然科学，工程和兽医学的学生提供研究培训，为他们在大学，临床实践和工业中的职业生涯做好准备。