Cross-Training Laboratory Animal Care Personnel in Physically Separate Animal Facilities at a Land-Grant Institution.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign maintains physically separated animal care facilities under centralized management by the Division of Animal Resources. As part of a land-grant institution, the animal care and use program operates several animal units in key locations for specific disciplines within the campus, all of which have the core mission to teach, conduct research, and engage in public service. Populations of research animals vary with the levels of research funding, the number of research investigators on staff, research direction, and animal availability.

Pancreatic carcinoma in an African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis).

This report describes the histologic features of a pancreatic carcinoma in an adult female African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). The animal was found to be in poor body condition and subsequently euthanized for a complete necropsy. Histologically, the pancreas was effaced by packets of polyhedral cells consistent with a pancreatic islet cell carcinoma.

Individually ventilated cages cause chronic low-grade hypoxia impacting mice hematologically and behaviorally.

Use of individually ventilated caging (IVC) systems for mouse-based laboratory investigation has dramatically increased. We found that without mice present, intra-cage oxygen concentration was comparable (21%) between IVC housing and ambient environment caging (AEC) that used wire top lids. However, when mice were housed 4-to-a-cage for 1week, intra-cage oxygen dropped to 20.

Cage change intervals for opossums (Monodelphis domestica) in individually ventilated cages.

The opossum Monodelphis domestica is the most commonly used marsupial in biomedical research. At our institution, these opossums are housed in polycarbonate (35.6 cm × 25.

Iatrogenic hemolytic anemia and endocarditis in New Zealand white rabbits secondary to Achromobacter xylosoxidans infection.

During a 3-mo period, 9 of the 15 New Zealand White rabbits used in a heart failure study developed a hemolytic anemia. The heart failure model involved the creation of an aortic insufficiency (AI) followed 2 to 6 wk later by the creation of an aortic stenosis (AS). None of the 9 animals that developed hemolytic anemia responded to medical management, and 6 of the 9 were euthanized for humane concerns.

Assessment of buprenorphine, carprofen, and their combination for postoperative analgesia in olive baboons (Papio anubis).

This study compared the efficacy of buprenorphine, carprofen, and a combination of the 2 analgesics in female baboons. Physiologic and behavioral parameters were assessed at baseline and postoperatively for 6 d by use of continuous noninvasive physiologic monitoring and twice-daily videotaping. Prior to surgery, all animals received a pre-emptive dose of either 0.