Housing for Rodents - IVCs by https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2 Individually Ventilated Cages not the Inferior Vena Cava en-us 2022-04-24 06:17:40 UTC 2022-04-29 15:58:29 UTC hello@padlet.com https://positively.com/files/guinea-pig-and-coffee-cup.jpg Universal Mice IVC Cage System u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155058114
  • Ventilation times in cage：≥40times/h
  • Air velocity in animal living area in cage：≤0.15m/s
  • Noise in the cage：≤60dB
  • Differential pressure: Positive pressure ≥10Pa; Negative pressure ≤-10Pa
  • Air quality/cleanliness: Grade 5
  • Cage material: PSU (polysulfone) material

    • (Bioevopeak, 2021) 
    ]]>     2022-04-24 06:20:03 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155058114     Type II Long IVCs u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155058644 Size:  8.4 inches wide × 14.25 inches deep × 7.3 inches high (213 × 362 × 185 mm)
    Material:  Available in polycarbonate, polysulfone, and polyphenylsulfone 

    (Bilecki, 2006)]]>     2022-04-24 06:21:30 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155058644     Type II Long IVC rack u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155079984 Hold the Type II Long IVCs
    Size: Available in 48 to 144 cage configurations
    Mode: Can operate in both positive and negative pressure
    Filter: Contain HEPA filters to supply and exhaust air

    (Bilecki, 2006)]]>     2022-04-24 07:13:20 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155079984     Double Decker IVC for Rats u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155092592 Level: Two-level three-dimensional environment
    Internal height: 38 cm
    Floor area: 1862 cm2 
    - provide perfect visibility of the animals and reduce footprints on both floors
    - allow positive behaviour or enrichment in animals: jumping, climbing and standing in bi-pedal posture
    - Thus, allowing more reliable research outcomes

    (Tecniplast, 2016)

    ]]>     2022-04-24 07:44:26 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155092592     u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155096287
  • Individually Ventilated Caging (IVC) system has become a common choice of housing for laboratory rodents.
  • IVCs are developed:
    • - to minimize spread of pathogens between cages with protection against allergens
    - to maintain low ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2) and relative humidity (RH)
    - protect animals that are free from pathogen
    - quarantine animals of unknown health status

    (Baumans, 2002)
    ]]>     2022-04-24 07:53:48 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155096287     Ventilation rate u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155099340
  • Varies from 25 to 120 air changes hourly(ACH)
  • Max air speed at animal level: 0.05 m/sec
  • Low relative humidity (RH) and reduced concentrations of ammonia (NH3) and CO2

    • (Baumans, 2002)
    ]]>     2022-04-24 08:01:25 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155099340     Pressure Control Mode u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155100034
  • Either positive (+) or negative (-) intracage pressure
    • ]]>     2022-04-24 08:03:00 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155100034     HEPA filter (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155106609
  • Directly supply controlled amount of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) via the top or the wall of the cages.
  • Air is exhausted or refiltered in the cage prior to the release into the outer environment (building's exhaust system)
  • High protection against bacteria, viruses and pathogens

    • (Baumans, 2002) 
    ]]>     2022-04-24 08:18:31 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155106609     Reduce allergen level u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155112773 According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, more than half of laboratory animal personnel are affected by skin and respiratory disorders that are caused by exposure to ambient animal allergens. 

    • IVC system - primary way to reduce Laboratory Animal Allergy (LAA) 
    • No official standards for allergen control but industry in UK maintains it a  5 ng/m-3 as the benchmark in order to limit the exposure to rodent allergens below this level.
    • HEPA-filtered supply air is introduced into the cage, providing uniform, low velocity airflow across the cage.
    • The drying effect on the bedding is maximized without causing distress to the animals and this allows extended interval for cage change-out. 

    (Bilecki, 2006)
    ]]>     2022-04-24 08:32:17 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155112773     Rotary Ventilated Caging System/Rack u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155124772 Hold up standard size cages for rodents
    *Automated Watering System option available
    Size: 120 cages with a 76 square inch floor size for rodents
    Rotation: rotates 180 degrees in either direction with a 58″ turning diameter
    - Fits into tight spaces within rooms to save up spaces and to increase cages per square feet

    (Gaia Science, n.d.)]]>     2022-04-24 08:57:34 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155124772     Standard IVC racks u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155130449 Hold up different size rodent cages
    Size: 15 to 162 cages, varies depending on the size of the cages for different rodents
    Multilinking ability: Maximized density
    - Consists of a stand-alone air handling unit can manage up to 4 single-sided racks
    - energy saving with lower maintenance costs 

    (Tecniplast, 2016)]]>     2022-04-24 09:10:34 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155130449     Animal welfare u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155175389 Air inlet and outlet valves are installed on the top of IVCs:
    • no air draft at the level of animal movement
    • lowering the risk of stress
    • avoid heat loss

    (Tecniplast, 2016)
    ]]>     2022-04-24 10:41:18 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155175389     Protection for handlers and animals u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155182652
  • Sealing Design: Optimal sealing with no latches
  • Microbiological filter: At cage level to promote gas exchange and protect against microorganisms or pathogens 
  • Non-invasive rack nozzles: Avoid cross-contamination

    • (Tecniplast, 2016)
    ]]>     2022-04-24 10:57:28 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155182652     Ergonomics u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155384365
  • Excellent lid stacking: avoids damage to the cage locks during cleaning, washing or autoclaving.
  • Great visibility: allows a clearer view and faster daily check on animals
  • External self-centering water bottle: allows changing of bottle without opening the lid or removing the cage from rack
  • Relative ease of handling

    • (Orchid Scientific, 2019) 
    ]]>     2022-04-24 16:40:32 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155384365     Standard Mice IVC Cage u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155388009
  • Cage material: PPSU (polyphenylsulfone) material/PSU (polysulfone) material
  • Cage bottom height: 130mm
  • Cage floor area: 478cm²
  • Cage dimension: 188×398×202mm（Includes drinking bottle and label slot）

    • (Bioevopeak, 2021) 
    ]]>     2022-04-24 16:46:28 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155388009     Better housing for research studies u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155404971
  • increasing global exchange of genetically modified animals between laboratories
  • increase the possibility of maintaining a high health standard 

    • ]]>     2022-04-24 17:16:21 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155404971     References u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155428241 2022-04-24 17:50:54 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2155428241 Bedding u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163865238 There are three main types of bedding:
    a) Substrate
    - To allow comfortable walking instead of walking on metal or plastic.
    - To give something for the animals to dig in.
    - Criteria of good substrate bedding:
    • physically safe
    • unscented
    • low dust 
    • non-toxic
    - Examples: 
    • Cardboard
    • Coconut husk
    • Hemp

    b) Litter
    -     To absorb urine and feces and encourage good toilet habits of the rodents in cage.
    - Common option for litter bedding: 
    • unscented litter placed in the litter trays
    - Avoid mineral or wooden litters, and anything with added perfume.

    c) Nesting material
    - To line the sleeping areas of rodents.
    - The rodents will tear up the materials themselves and used as nesting.
    - Types of materials:
    • Paper kitchen towels like the paper nesting material in pet shops 
    • Unscented toilet tissue 
    • Ripped up newspaper with non-toxic ink
    • Pieces of fleece fabric (without long threads that may tangle the caged animals)
    • Compressed cotton nesting squares
    (Blyth, 2020) 
    ]]>     2022-04-29 06:38:35 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163865238     Activity/Toy enrichment (Rodents' favourite) u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163865720
  • Most of the rodents live more happily and will have lesser behavioural issues like aggression when provided exercising or playing toys experience. 
  • Climbing or exercising also helps the rodents to keep healthy and fulfil their activity demands. 
  • All species like to run on wheels. Wheels are the common toys for the rodents where the side of the wheels should be smooth (without holes to avoid the feet from getting caught and without a rough surface may injure the feet). 
  • The number of wheels provided must be adequate to avoid the cage-mates from fighting for access. 
    • (Hess, n.d.) 
    ]]>     2022-04-29 06:39:07 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163865720     Foraging Enrichment u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163943703
  • Providing small objects to interact with is essential for all rodents. 
  • For smaller species (mice, rats, hamsters), pine cones (which must be free of parasites and sap and from untreated trees) and deep bedding can be used for tunneling. 
  • For guinea pigs, items like grass cubes and straw (hay woven into small huts, tunnels, mats, and twists and cardboard hide-outs.  
    • (Hess, n.d.) 
    ]]>     2022-04-29 07:57:17 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163943703     Gnawing Enrichment u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163948323
  • The teeth of rodents grow continuously throughout their entire life. 
  • Therefore, gnawing is essential natural behaviour for rodents maintain their dental health and prevent malocclusion. 
  • Providing a gnawing option is essential especially when mice are maintained on soft or liquid diets.
  • However, it is important to provide laboratory rodents with safe gnawing materials to prevent rodents from grind the material into bits, swallowing ingesting, resulting in intestinal obstruction.
    • (Froberg-Fejko, 2014)
    ]]>     2022-04-29 08:02:22 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2163948323     Autoclave Decontamination Rack u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2164389630 ISO decontamination rack allows the entire closed and clean cages, filled with bedding, food, and water to be placed in the autoclave. Besides, the open valve also allows the steam to enter and decontaminate the whole cage. 
    (Tecniplast, 2016)]]>     2022-04-29 14:24:40 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2164389630     Interested on different commercial models and air handling units? Click here! u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2164401755 2022-04-29 14:31:00 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2164401755 Shelter u2004180 https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2164475303
  • Hiding areas are essential for rodents which love seeking places to hide. 
  • Shelters in the cage can reduce anxiety in rodents by offering disposable and non-disposable options depending on animal preference and facility needs. 
  • Examples:
    • - Cardboard boxes and tubes (from paper towels and toilet paper)
    - Plastic hide-outs
    (Bio-Serv, n.d.)
    ]]>     2022-04-29 15:16:36 UTC https://padlet.com/u2004180/liew_win_sing2/wish/2164475303