Format re: Substance / scope of institutional
training programs for the
Canadian Council on Animal Care

University of Western Ontario

1. Institution name
   
   Animal Care and Veterinary Services
   University of Western Ontario



2. Teaching personnel (including qualifications)
   
   Dr Geraldine Kent, DVM, MSc
   Dr Tyrrel de Langley, DVM
   Dr Susan Fussell, DVM, MRCVS, CVA
   Mrs. alerie Smith MSc, MBA Director, Occupational Health and Safety
   Dr Peter Flanagan, PhD
   Maureen Mollard, AHT, RVT
   Shannon Hemstreet, RVT
   Wilma Lagerwerf, RVT, RLAT
   Tania Admans, RVT



3. Training program outline
   
   Detailed breakdown, following order given in Recommended Syllabus:



1. CORE TOPICS


1. Regulations and animal welfare
   
• overview of CCAC


• role of the local ACC


• applicable regulations and legislation


• animals user accountability


2. Moral, legal, and ethical issues
   
• public concerns


• foundations for ethical considerations


• contentious issues


• scientific integrity and scholarly activity


1. Lab Animal/Teaching Stream



1. Research issues
   
• influence of environment/husbandry on research


• influence of disease on research


• effects of stress on animals; causes of stress


• responsibility of the investigator/research staff


• anesthesia/analgesia overview


• euthanasia


• animal models/appropriate selection/resources


• CCAC categories of invasiveness


2. Basic animal care/animal biology/techniques
   
• animal facilities and husbandry


• basic knowledge of facility operation in relation to research/stress


• environmental enrichment/reduction of stress


• roles of animal care veterinarian/animal care technicians


• role of animal care technician, as observer, source of information, awareness of technical services/source of expertise/variability reduction through consistent/competent manipulations


• animal identification/importance in lost/confounded data


• animal health monitoring


• use of facility Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs)


• animal procurement


• recognition of pain and/or distress endpoints


3. Occupational health and safety


Risk associated with the species of animal used: Zoonotic Infections:

• transmission in the workplace


• control of hazards

Risk associated with agents used in animals:

1. Biohazards


• Health Canada risk levels for micro-organisms and cell lines


• containment levels and safety precautions for managing biohazards


• animal pathogen containment levels, CFIA


• containment caging systems and biological safety cabinets


• waste disposal


• barrier facilities: inclusion vs exclusion, techniques and procedures


• refer to Biosafety sessions given separately


2. Chemical Agents


• carcinogens and mutagens: safety precautions


• refer to requirement for WHMIS training


3. Radioisotopes


• AECB regulations and licensing


• scheduled quantities and half life of isotopes


• waste disposal


• refer to requirement for Radiation Training session

Risks associated with general animal maintenance:

• physical agents: noise, heat, ergonomic issues


• chemical Agents: disinfectant concentrates and descalers


• laboratory Animal Allergens: dander, aerosolized urine and feces

Special situations:

• pregnancy


• compromised immune or health status

Medical surveillance programme:

• details of the medical surveillance programme for personnel at UWO who work with animals as described


4. Facility specific operational items
   
   
• approval and use of animals; local ACC structure


• tour of facility


• introduction to personnel


• security


• group discussions of animal use proposals


• local animal procurement procedures/disposal


• SOPs and record forms


• local occupational health and safety programs and administration


• drug acquisition, storage, use and record keeping


• principles of containment/inclusion systems for housing infected animals


• regulation of quarantine area for incoming animals requiring health testing


• principles of exclusion housing; clean air stations and facilities for immune suppressed animals


2. TOPICS TO BE COVERED IN MODULES/NOT PART OF CORE COURSE



1. Training available for the following species:


• rats


• mice


• rabbits


1. General


• behavior of individual species


• sterile injection techniques


• lab animal health monitoring


• handling, and proper restraint


• blood collection and IV injection techniques


• IM/SC injection techniques


• common lab techniques, e.g., identification, gavaging, etc.


• necropsy/sampling of rodents


• recognition of pain and/or distress


• anesthesia, exploring various regimes suited to animal species/age


• analgesia


• surgical principles, preparation, suturing


• post-operative care


• post-surgical care


2. Specialized techniques


• antigen/adjuvant use - on an "as required" basis


• we provide individual or small group sessions as required for species specific animal handling, injections, blood sampling, identification or research techniques. These are provided on an ad hoc basis in addition to the bi-annual teaching sessions.


4. Use of animal alternatives in training program
   
   We incorporate the use of inanimate models in order to gain familiarity and a level of comfort in handling the proposed animal species. We use a rat and rabbit Koken model, as well as a life-like mouse model. We also use a variety of audio visual aids incorporated into our pre-lab talk (overheads, kodachromes, etc.). During our Surgical Technique laboratory, we utilize suturing blocks for suturing practise, in order that the student gain competence prior to actual live animal use.
   
   Euthanized animals are also used in our first laboratories covering basic animal handling, and sterile technique. This enables the student who has not had previous animal experience to gain familiarity with needle/syringe as well as gain manual dexterity techniques prior to actual injection on an awake animal. Most, if not all, rodents used in the teaching labs are animals originally destined for euthanasia from research projects. These are put into a stock of teaching animals, and utilized as needed.



5. Topics presented in 'wet-lab' or 'hands-on' format
   
   Sterile Injection Techniques
   Basic Handling: Rats/Mice
   Mouse Injections and Techniques
   Basic Handling: Rats/Mice
   Rat Injections and Techniques
   Rodent Anesthesia
   Rabbit Injections and Techniques
   PM Techniques - Rodents
   Improving Surgical Techniques



6. Topics presented in case discussion format
   
   Protocol Preparation



7. Topics presented in lecture format
   
   Animal Health Monitoring



8. Dates of training sessions
   
   Spring: Mid-May until the end of June
   Fall: Mid-September until the end of October
   
   The Animal Care and Use Lecture initiates the course, with each workshop topic being offered an average of three times, depending on the demand. Demand for a particular animal species may vary from year to year, but each workshop topic is given on the average of two times each, in the spring and fall.



9. Number of participants allowed per training session
   
   The number of participants per individual hands-on session is governed by the size of available teaching rooms, and the number of instructors. Usually, we can accommodate up to 10-15 participants with two instructors involved.



10. Contact person
    
    Maureen Mollard, AHT, RVT
    Mmollard@julian.uwo.ca
    (519) 661-2111, ext. 86768



11. Fee(s) for attending course(s), where relevant
    
    Non-university registrants are charged a nominal fee. Fees are also put in place when a registrant does not give advance notice of being unable to attend the session without advance notice of 48 hours.

The University of Western Ontario has developed an extensive array of WebCT training courses which we are able to offer to other facilities. Currently the University of Lethbridge is using our 'Core A' course. We manage the course, provide support, document completion of quizzes and provide certificates. In addition to Core A we also have courses in Anaesthesia, Surgery, Basic Handling of Mice, Rats and Rabbits, Introductory Information on Pigs and Sheep as well as Post-Mortem procedures in rodents. All courses are highly graphic, included are links to other sources of information as well as some crosswords and flip cards. For more information please go to our information page.

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