Augusta University is a Class R research facility. Our certificate number is #57-R-0002.
Yes. Both remain valid through August 31, 2023.
"Rodents and rabbits purchased from recognized vendors are visually inspected, and health reports are reviewed periodically by DLAS veterinarians or a designee. Before any animals can be shipped from any other source, health reports for review are required prior to approval. Those animals must enter into the quarantine process. Dog vendors and pig vendors are required to provide their health maintenance program and copies of their most recent USDA inspection if they are a licensed facility. In addition, dog vendors must provide the medical record of the animals of interest for veterinary review prior to authorization to ship. NHP vendors must provide copies of the medical record for the animals of interest, including the vaccination history and viral status, prior to purchase of the animals and subsequent transport.
All animals are visually evaluated by an Animal Facilities Supervisor, Technician, or an attending veterinarian at time of delivery. A thorough physical exam is performed within 3-5 days of the receipt of NHPs and dogs by the DLAS veterinarians.
We have an established animal health surveillance program that is conducted quarterly on sentinel (dirty bedding sentinels) animals assigned to either specific investigator colony groups or to a designated side of a rack. On a quarterly basis serum, fecal samples, and tape tests are collected to assess bacterial and viral pathogen status (samples sent to outside diagnostic lab) and screen for presence of ectoparasites and endoparasites (screening performed in house). NHPs have a semiannual physical where a thorough exam is performed to assess general health, viral status and blood work, fecal pathogen status. Dental prophylaxis is also performed during semiannual examinations. In addition, our sick animal reporting process by the animal caretakers detects any deviations from normal which the veterinary technical group further evaluates.
If suspicious blood work results are received that could indicate an infectious agent, confirmatory test is pursued of the sentinel and or animal in question. Once confirmation has been received, the investigator is notified of the pathogen status of their colony, brief information about the pathogen is provided to address pathogenesis and impact on research and reference material is provided. In addition, the room is placed on quarantine status, appropriate PPE selected for biocontainment, and the movement of animals is restricted. The DLAS veterinary staff meets with the affected PI and discusses a plan to treat, eradicate, depopulate and/or further screen the animals of interest, while emphasizing the risk these animals pose to the remainder of the facility.
Twenty-one laboratory animal caretakers, two Assistant Laboratory Animal Technicians, two Laboratory Animal Technician, one Lead Laboratory Animal Technician, five Animal Facility Supervisors, and four Veterinary Technicians are responsible for the daily observation of animals. Animal Caretakers are required to attend an Animal Care 101 Seminar that cover the departmental policies and procedures which includes the process of reporting sick animals in addition to providing examples/images of sick animals. When a sick animal (Rodent) is noted by the animal caretaker, the cage card is marked with a yellow sick card and a sick animal reporting sheet is submitted to the veterinary technicians for evaluation. The veterinary technician or veterinarian performs the initial assessment and records their observation on a teal blue card that remains on the cage, behind the cage card. Depending on the cause of the illness, the veterinary technician can perform minor procedures (tape test, skin scrape and fecal) and alert the veterinarian if treatment is warranted. If treatment is warranted, the investigator is notified by either the veterinary technician or the veterinarian of the condition of the animals, recommended treatments and prognosis.
When a large animal (nonhuman primate, dog, pig or rabbit) is found to be sick, the DLAS Veterinarian or the Veterinary Technician is notified. The DLAS Veterinarian will then perform a clinical assessment of the animal and devise a treatment plan which is documented in the animals' medical record. The investigator is then notified by the veterinary staff via email or telephone and informed about the animal's condition and the recommended treatment options."
"The DLAS weekend staff (one supervisor and two animal care technicians) manages the husbandry needs of the animal facility. If a holiday is during a weekday, the husbandry staff is on a rotation to cover the holidays. The three veterinarians, including the full time attending veterinarian, rotate weekends and are on call in case of animal emergencies. The Assistant Director and specific animal facility supervisor is on call for all physical plant or personnel emergencies. A coverage calendar is maintained that identifies the on call veterinarian outside of regular hours.
Routine feeding, watering, litter removal, cage/pen cleaning and animal observation is done on weekends and holidays. Complete room change outs are not routinely performed on the weekend by the assigned weekend staff.
One of the Zebra fish technicians checks the fish and water conditions every day including weekends and holidays.
Phone numbers are posted in case of emergencies. The Division of Public Safety and Central Energy have a roster of duty personnel, with phone numbers in case emergencies arise during off-duty hours."
DLAS offers a number of hands-on training opportunities at the request of research staff. Previous offerings include blood collection, tissue collection for genotyping, organ collection, injection methods, rodent surgery, and estrus cycle sampling. Please contact the Training Coordinator to request practical training.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any access or training-related questions 706-721-4210.
