Guidelines > Procedures Performed on USDA-Covered Species Involving the Use of General Anesthesia
Requirements for performing survival procedures involving the use of anesthesia on USDA-covered species are based on the 1996 edition of the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide), PHS Policy, and the USDA Animal Welfare Act (AWA) Regulations (9 CFR). The UF IACUC provides guidance in its Policy on USDA Covered Species, which is available at: http://www.iacuc.ufl.edu/PolicyonCoveredSpecies.doc
The Guide states, "unless an exception is specifically justified as an essential component of the research protocol and approved by the IACUC, non-rodent aseptic surgery should be conducted only in facilities intended for that purpose." The Guide further states that surgical procedures should include checking for anesthetic depth, assessing physiologic function and clinical signs and conditions; and that the design of the surgical facility should accommodate the species operated upon and the complexity of the procedure(s) performed. Appropriate provisions for preoperative and postoperative care are to be provided in accordance with established veterinary medical and nursing practices as mandated in the AWA, 9 CFR §2.33(b)(5).
In addition to dogs, cats, and non-human primates, USDA-covered species currently include guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, and any other warm-blooded animal, except “…birds, rats of the genus Rattus, mice of the genus Mus bred for use research, and horses not used for research purposes and other farm animals, such as, but not limited to livestock and poultry, used or intended for use as food or fiber, or livestock or poultry used or intended for use for improving animal nutrition, breeding, management, or production efficiency, or for improving the quality of food and fiber.” Wild-caught birds, rats of the genus Rattus, mice of the genus Mus would be subject to the provisions of the AWA and AWA Regulations.
General Guidelines
Major survival surgeries are defined as any procedure that penetrates and exposes a body cavity, produces substantial impairment of physical or physiologic functions such as laparotomy, thoracotomy, craniotomy, joint replacement, limb amputation, or any procedure that requires the use of more than a single application of a short-term anesthetic. In keeping with federal regulations, all major survival surgeries performed on USDA-covered species must be conducted in core ACS-managed surgical facilities (e.g., CB-006).
