IACUC / LARC STANDARD PROCEDURES

GLUCOSE MONITORING OF URINE IN RATS AND MICE (Posted May 2008)

Description of procedure:

Urine glucose range will be monitored by using urine test strips. Rodents will be evaluated weekly for general appearance, ability to move normally around cage and reach food and water, ability to eat and drink, grooming habits, skin color, lethargy, aggression (animals will be housed individually if aggressive behavior is shown). Rodents will be evaluated by body weight (rats) or the Body Condition Scoring (BCS) index (mice). Mice with BCS ≤ 2 or rats with ≥15% loss of body weight will be euthanized. (If mice that develop diabetes are needed for further study, they will be implanted with an insulin pellet to control blood glucose - see SOP for implantation of insulin pellets.) Diabetic animals will require more frequent bedding changes, so arrangements with husbandry staff must be made.

Supplies:

• Urine test strips
• Color index for glucose concentration

Procedure Steps:

1. Place a urine test strip on a clean surface.
2. Restrain animal.
3. Gently depress the abdomen until the animal urinates. (Only one drop is needed on the test strip.)
4. Evaluate the color change on the test strip to determine the concentration of glucose (refer to color index on test strip container).
5. Retest as needed per protocol.

Literature search words required:

Literature search was performed for refinement of this Standard Procedure on 1/9/2007.

Key Words	Search Site	Years Covered
Urine glucose testing	Pubmed	1971- 2007

Agents:

All agents administered to animals should be listed in the "Agents" section of RIO.

Adverse Effects:

Procedure, Agent or Phenotype	Potential Adverse Effects	Management
Urine glucose testing	Rupture bladder	Euthanasia

Monitoring Parameters:

Monitoring Parameters	Frequency	PI/Lab will Document
General appearance/activity level	Weekly	No
Urine glucose testing	Weekly	No
Body condition scoring	Weekly - 3x's/week for animals that require closer observation	Yes

Describe the conditions, complications, and criteria (e.g. uncontrolled infection, loss of more than 15% body weight, etc.) that would lead to removal of an animal from the study, and describe how this will be accomplished (e.g. stopping treatment, euthanasia).

Mice with a body condition score of ≤ 2 or rats with ≥15% loss of body weight will be euthanized.

For all investigators housing animals with tumor formation, skin lesions, neurological deficits, or that are in Category E, list the expected characteristics/clinical presentations and endpoints of the animal model and the criteria for euthanasia. Note: The IACUC also requires such lists to be posted in the respective animal rooms and monitored by the IACUC compliance staff and LARC, to assure PI adherence to the endpoints listed.

N/A.