Sprague-Dawley and Wistar are the main rat strains. It is recommended that rabbits less than four pounds have a minimum floor area of one-and-a-half square feet per animal; rabbits up to nine pounds have a minimum floor area of three square feet per animal; rabbits up to 12 pounds have a minimum floor area of four square feet per animal, and; rabbits more than 12 pounds have a minimum floor area of five square feet per animal. Gross lesions of pleural effusion disease include pleural effusion, CAR bacillus is a gram-negative, filamentous rod … Personnel may be exposed to allergens through inhalation and contact with skin, eyes and mucous membranes. The spleen is occasionally enlarged and is almost always devoid of lymphocytes when examined histologically. Myxoma virus–infected Sylvilagus develop fibroma-like lesions similar to those caused by rabbit fibroma virus. People and other mammals are not affected. The causative virus is closely related to vaccinia virus, and some outbreaks may have been caused by a virulent strain of vaccinia. Major research applications are in immunology, oncology, physiology, pathology, and neuroscience. laboratory rabbits. The legacy of this great resource continues in the online and mobile app versions today. Infection results in a peracute febrile disease causing hepatic necrosis, enteritis, and lymphoid necrosis, followed by massive coagulopathy and hemorrhages in multiple organs. Arthropod vectors transmit the Shope papillomavirus; therefore, arthropod control could be used as means of disease prevention. In females, the vulva becomes inflamed and edematous; in males, the scrotum swells. Therefore, cessation of breeding for 4–6 wk seems to allow the disease to run its course, because seropositive does do not infect their offspring. Rabbit calicivirus disease is highly infectious in European rabbits (Oryctolagus), but cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits are not susceptible. Two inbred rabbit strains, JWY-NIBS and NWY-NIBS, were established by full-sib mating in the Nippon Institute for Biological Science, Laboratory Animal Research Station. Occasionally, a rabbit survives for several weeks; in these cases, fibrotic nodules appear on the nose, ears, and forefeet. Rodents and rabbits are often used to produce antibodies for a variety of research objectives. In 2018, rabbits comprised 17% of Animal Welfare Act-covered animals used in research, testing, teaching, and experimentation in the United States. The Guide also recommends that cage height be at least 16 inches, and indicates that more cage height may be required to allow larger rabbits to sit up. Rabbits inoculated experimentally with laboratory strains of the virus invariably develop small nodules at the point of injection after several days; similar nodules develop later on other parts of the body, particularly the ears. Much of the genome of Rattus norvegicus has been sequenced. Rabbits are ground dwellers whose habitat ranges from deserts to tropical forests and wetlands. Environmental conditions such as housing and husbandry have a major impact on the laboratory animal throughout its life and will thereby influence the outcome of animal experiments ( Baumans 2004 ; Van de Weerd et al. Viral hemorrhagic disease is found in almost every country that raises rabbits except the USA. Spread through a rabbitry is rapid, but rabbits inoculated with smallpox vaccine (vaccinia virus) are immune. Rabbits are commonly used for toxicity and safety testing of substances such as drugs, chemicals and medical devices. Learn why the portfolio of NSG™ models are the most versatile immunodeficient strains for … In April 2000, the USDA diagnosed rabbit calicivirus in a backyard facility in Iowa. Rabbits differ from hares in size, life history, and preferred habitat. The oral papillomavirus is distinct from the Shope papillomavirus (which is also distinct from the Shope fibroma virus). The second type, caused by the cottontail (Shope) papillomavirus, is characterized by horny warts on the neck, shoulders, ears, or abdomen and is primarily a natural disease of cottontail rabbits. The following guidelines are intended to eliminate or reduce to a minimum, animal discomfort associated with the use of antibody production in laboratory animals. C57BL/6 and BALB/c are the main mouse strains. A strain of these rabbits bred in a French rabbitry has shown a strong rate of ovulation. Please confirm that you are a health care professional. This vaccine is not available in the USA, and because there is no effective treatment, euthanasia and burying or burning of affected rabbits is indicated. Rabbit calicivirus is a reportable disease in the USA. Enteropathogenic strains of E coli (serotype O103) commonly express the eae gene, which codes for intimin, an outer membrane protein associated with the attaching and effacing lesions. rabbits are recognized in North America by rabbit breeding associations, and numerous strains and specific mutations are available commercially for research purposes (Fox, 1974; Lindsey and Fox, 1974; The Jackson Laboratory, 1975; NRC U.S., 1979). Intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies are seen when sections of the tumor are examined histologically. Rabbit strains find immense application in biomedical research with every strain having their discrete advantage in the specific research endeavor. There is no treatment, but the infection appears to be self-limiting if susceptible rabbits are not continually introduced into the population. Rabbit, any of 29 species of long-eared mammals belonging to the family Leporidae, excluding hares (genus Lepus). Young rabbits of weaning age are most susceptible. Two types of infectious papillomas occur infrequently in domestic rabbits. New Zealand White rabbits, large albino rabbits, are the most common breeds of rabbits used in research, although other breeds, including Dutch Belted rabbits are used as well. Pox lesions may be present on the skin. In 2018, about 43% of the rabbits used in research were subjected to procedures involving pain and distress. The seasonal incidence of the disease, clinical signs (especially the swollen genitalia), and high mortality are all of diagnostic significance. 2002 ). An attenuated vaccine prepared from a myxomatosis virus has protected rabbits infected under both field and laboratory conditions. Lab Supply is proud to carry a great selection of rabbit diets, including Laboratory Rabbit Diet from LabDiet. The rabbit is the breed of choice for polyclonal antibody production, tools commonly used in a variety of research methodologies. Myxomatosis is a fatal disease of all breeds of domesticated rabbits caused by myxoma virus, a member of the poxvirus group. Outside the USA, vaccination is an option and highly recommended in endemic areas. The oral papilloma, caused by the rabbit oral papillomavirus, is the most important clinically. Rabbits are vaccinated at 10 wk, and annual boosters are recommended. Cilia-associated respiratory (CAR) bacillus is a relatively recently identified pathogen of wild (73) and laboratory rats and, to a lesser extent, mice and rabbits; it has been used in experimental infections of guinea pigs and hamsters (598). The link you have selected will take you to a third-party website. They are used in skin and eye irritation studies, such as the archaic and painful Draize tests for cosmetics, personal care, household products and other chemicals. Outbreaks of rabbit calicivirus disease have since occurred in Australia (1995), New Zealand (1997), and Cuba (1997). Zoonoses Associated with Rabbits. The gestation period for laboratory mice is generally consistent within a strain but varies among strains from 18-21 days. We see rabbits used in research because of their relatively large size and docile nature. EIN: 36-2229588, Privacy Policy | Find Your Legislator | Site Map | Email Us, The Cruelty and Waste of Animal Experimentation, Failure of Animal Protection Laws and Regulations, The Animal Testing and Experimentation Industry. They have also been used as bioreactors for the production of pharmaceutical proteins. Many congenital malformations have been observed in instances where inbreeding of rabbits has been practiced. The source of infection was not determined. The domestic rabbit continues to be popular as a show animal and pet. Morbidity rate is often 100%, and mortality 60%–90%. The first report of the virus in the Western hemisphere was in Mexico City in 1988. In serologic studies of rabbit colonies around the world, almost 100% of the adult rabbits in some rabbitries were positive for rotavirus, demonstrating its widespread nature. Myxomatosis has a worldwide distribution. Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Those that survive become progressively depressed and develop a rough coat. Commonly used laboratory rabbits strains The order Lagomorpha comprises of cottontails, hares, pikas and rabbits. Once in the laboratory, rabbits used in research in spaces depending on their weight, according to recommendations made by The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The origin, breeding history, and biological characteristics of the two inbred strains are as follows. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Rabbit calicivirus disease was first reported in 1984 in the People’s Republic of China, from whence it spread through the domestic and wild rabbit populations in continental Europe. Wild rabbits such as the cottontail (Sylvilagus) and jackrabbits (Lepus) are quite resistant. A few outbreaks have been reported in the USA since 1930. In acute outbreaks, some rabbits may die within 48 hr after signs appear. This full life-cycle diet comes in a pelleted form and is a complete feed that requires no extra supplementation. Viruses are not important causes of clinical disease of rabbits in the USA but include the infectious fibromas, papillomatosis, rabbitpox, myxomatosis, and a herpesvirus infection (virus 3). New Zealand White Rabbit - CR Details. The initial sign is conjunctivitis that rapidly becomes more marked and is accompanied by a milky ocular discharge. 800.888.NAVS (312.427.6065) In 2018, 133,634 rabbits were used by United States Department of Agriculture licensees, representing a 11% increase from the previous year. Common laboratory rabbit strains The most characteristic lesions seen at necropsy are a skin rash, subcutaneous edema, and edema of the mouth and other body openings. Mexico successfully eradicated the virus by 1992. However, about 200 inbred strains of rats have been described, with about a dozen strains being commercially available in the USA, Europe and Japan. At Professional Laboratory and Research Services, Inc. , a product testing laboratory in North Carolina, workers attached thousands of ticks onto rabbits’ shaved bodies and allowed the insects to gorge for five days. Rabbits show few clinical signs and die within 6–24 hr of fever onset. Chicago, IL 60604 Many thousand rabbit shows occur each year and are sanctioned in Canada and the United States by the ARBA. Neither type of papillomatosis is treated, and the condition usually resolves spontaneously over time. Several rabbits died during the experiments, and some were executed immediately after. The eyelids, nose, lips, and ears become edematous, which gives a swollen appearance to the head. At that time P. B. Sawin took a chinchilla stock of unknown origin with him to the Bussey Institute. In rabbits that survive longer, subcutaneous edema and nodular skin tumors are seen. Therefore, it is concluded that Kbl:JW rabbit is one of the useful rabbit strains to evaluate the effects of test substances on embryo-fetal development, especially in view of the chronological stability of spontaneous or drug-induced malformations in the fetuses." Myxomatosis is called “big head” and is characterized by mucinous skin lesions or myxedema of the head. For example, it is 18.5 days in C57BL/6J (000664) mice, 20 days in BALB/cJ (000651) mice, and 21 days in A/J Other common strains are the Sprague Dawley, Fischer 344, Holtzman albino strains, Long–Evans, and Lister black hooded rats. This controversial use of rabbits resulted in some of the first large-scale protests against animal experimentation in the 1970s and 1980s and pushed the scientific community to search for in vitro alternatives. The Russian or Himalayan rabbit is white with black extremities. The New Zealand White rabbit was obtained in 1991 by Charles River Canada (CRC) from Kitayama Labs K.K. A characteristic sign at this stage is drooping of the edematous ears. Shope fibromas are found under natural conditions only in cottontails, although domestic rabbits can be infected by inoculation of virus-containing material. We do not control or have responsibility for the content of any third-party site. Most rabbits develop a fever and nasal discharge. 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