The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee have set minimum standards for animal operating rooms and laboratories in which surgery is performed. The standards are based on the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The standards are meant to ensure that surgical procedures are performed in an appropriate environment using good surgical techniques. Aseptic technique (e.g., surgical gloves, mask and sterile instruments) should be used for surgical procedures on rodents such as rats and mice; however, the standards for the surgical facility are not as rigid. Rodent surgical areas may be a separate room or portion of a room. The area should be clean and orderly and should not be used for any other purpose during the time of the surgical activity. Animal housing areas may not be used for surgical procedures.
Non-survival surgical procedures may be performed in general purpose laboratories provided the rules outlined below are followed:
The surgical site should be clipped, the surgeon should wear gloves, the instruments should be sterilized and surrounding area should be clean.
The use of a survival surgical area for non-survival surgery is satisfactory provided the rules regarding survival surgery are followed, and the room is properly sanitized following the procedure. Any other laboratory outside of those designated for survival surgery CANNOT be used for survival surgical procedures in animals other than rodents.