The UCCAA Mission... To gather and disseminate information concerning animal alternatives, so as to improve the well-being and quality of life of animals wherever possible, and to optimize their contribution to education and research. 

Alternatives at UC Davis: Veterinary School and Beyond

Plastination continued... An Undergrad Anatomy Class Without Dissection

For five years, a UCD undergraduate comparative anatomy class has been conducted without the use of dissection. Veterinary School professor Charles Plopper, who won a 1995 Norden Teaching Award, Dallas Hyde, Dave Hinton and Les Faulkin teach Comparative Organology of Vertebrates. The only class of its kind in Northern California, the course uses plastinated specimens, electron micrographs, and histological slides. Students learn about cell, tissue and organ structures of fish, birds and mammals using air-dried and plastinated specimens prepared by Bob Parmalee (see Spring 1994 UC ALERT). Students can view the particular organ on a computer program developed by Mike Guinan, then examine the plastinated specimen. They can then follow up with information from the written material in their textbook. Students are encouraged to use the computer program before entering the course lab. [Picture of Charles Plopper not reproduced here].

There are many advantages to teaching a class using these alternatives to dissection. The class can be run as self-study--organs are dissected to match the computer images and illustrations in the textbook, i.e., sections of the heart show particular valves or chambers, or a leg may be prepared in color to show veins and arteries. There is also no risk to the teacher or students because no formalin is used in the specimens. Plastinated specimens can be handled and passed around without danger from chemicals. And class expenses go toward the plastination of reusable specimens rather than whole animals for one-time dissections.

Animal parts are obtained from several different sources. Bird specimens are mostly road-kills and natural deaths. Other animal parts are re-cycled from natural deaths or euthanized animals from veterinary classes. The students learn about chickens, rabbits, mice, horses, cows, whales, and other more unusual animals like elephants and marine mammals.

Student reaction to the structure of the class has been mostly positive, although some students feel that hands-on dissection would help them in later internships. However, foregoing time- and animal-consuming dissection results in the students being able to learn about a wider variety of vertebrate animals.

The availability of these alternatives to using whole animal dissection is greatly increasing, although still quite expensive. Because plastinated specimens last for several years, they eventually pay for themselves. And the success of classes such as this demonstrates that students can learn comparative anatomy through a different kind of hands-on experience.

Dr Robert Leighton, professor emeritus, conducted his fifteenth annual seminar from July 10 through 14. This year, the focus of this seminar was orthopedic surgery; specifically, the repair of a spinal fracture and dislocation. Dr. Leighton's class was composed of 33 foreign veterinarians from diverse cultures such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, Chile and several other countries. It is anticipated that this introductory class will eventually be set up as an elective in the Veterinary School's curriculum. [Picture of Dr Leighton and class not reproduced here].

In this class, Dr. Leighton introduced another of his inventions for teaching surgery without using a whole, live animal, The canine spinal surgery model (CSSM) is a foam replication of the back and upper hindquarters of a Doberman-type dog. It arrives from the manufacturer sealed--inside is a plastic replication of a dog's spinal column with fractured and dislocated lumbar vertebrae. Working in teams of two, the veterinarians' mission was to palpate the fractures and use the appropriate surgical tools to make a skin incision in the back, incise the plastic fascia, retract the tissue, and examine the spinal injuries. Then, using plates and screws, the veterinarians must plate the fracture by drilling holes and inserting the screws at the correct angle. Wrong angles or improper plating may result in the dog's "death." The veterinarians then continue working to plate the dislocation. Dr. Leighton and his two attending faculty review the work of each team to determine whether both injuries are plated correctly.

The class is designed to teach basic procedure without the difficulties of hemorrhage. Many veterinary students and practicing veterinarians do not have the opportunity to surgically repair these types of spinal injuries. Dr. Leighton's dog allows the veterinarians to use the specific surgical instruments for this procedure. They are taught where to drill, how to measure the spine, where to put the plate, and the proper angle of the screws. The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is presently the only school in the nation teaching this type of surgery on an alternative dog.

This canine spinal surgery model can be obtained by contacting Mr. Denzil Miller, Pacific Research Labs, Inc., PO Box 589, Vashor Island, WA 98070; phone 206-463-5551.

During the month of April, the staff of the CAA was able to examine the latest innovation from the Koken Co., Ltd. Of Japan-- a model of a female New Zealand white rabbit. Koken's designers, the folks who brought us the Koken Rat® last year, made great efforts to simulate a rabbit's anatomy. This model of silicone and soft fur-like material is weighted to feel just like a real rabbit. Her abdomen opens via flaps with Velcro® strips, revealing a gel-filled pouch with a stomach inside. [Picture of the Koken Rabbit® not reproduced here].

The Koken Rabbit also features silicone replicas of the skull, pharynx, ears with veins, pelvis, perineum, and urethra. She comes with artificial blood which can be drawn from the ear vein. This bunny was specifically designed to assist in the training for handling, peroral dosage, intravenous injections and blood collection, urethral catheterization, and orotracheal intubation.

The West Coast distributor for both the Koken Rat and Rabbit is Peninsula Laboratories, Inc., 611 Taylor Way, Belmont, CA 94002. They can be reached by phone at 415-592-5392 and by FAX at 415-595-4071. Contact Peninsula Labs for more information and current prices.

In Europe, the Koken Rat is sold by B & K Universal Limited, The Field Station, Grimston, Aldborough, Hull, North Humberside HU11 4QE, UK; voice +44 (19) 64 51 75 55; FAX +44 (19) 64 52 70 06. 

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has prepared this quarterly bibliography since 1986. The editor is Mrs. Vera Hudson of the NLM Office of Hazardous Substance Information. This bibliography was designed to present citations which list alternative methods. Such methods may not necessarily satisfy the requirements and needs of the biomedical research and toxicological communities, but they are being developed and evaluated. The bibliography was arranged by topic, with citations and brief annotations, for easy scanning. Whenever a citation was abstracted in the database, the abstract also appears in the bibliography. In some predominant way citations have dealt with methods, tests, assays, or procedures which may prove useful in establishing alternative methods which are not based on the use of animals

We thought it would be useful to both information professionals and principal investigators to explain some of the steps that have been taken to identify this literature in the past. In the past, a search statement was made for the terms vitro or in vitro, linking them with test#, assay# and method#. (Here, a # means that the term is truncated as it is searched.) For example, method# not only retrieves the word method, but also longer words such as methods. The results of this first statement were then linked with separate search statements that name the major organ systems.

The search was run against the monthly TOXLINE update file (for example, the January 1995 file before it is loaded into the full database). If it were run against the cumulated TOXLINE file, the volume of retrieved citations would overload the system. Another search was made for the MESH term animal testing alternatives against SDILINE, the monthly update file for MEDLINE. After retrieval, NLM staff has reviewed every citation for applicability.

At this time, NLM is reviewing this search strategy to determine if it is retrieving what it should and how it might be enhanced. NLM invites comment and suggestions for both the search strategy and content of the bibliography. The next issue is expected in Fall 1995. The reviewed search strategy will be published in future issues.

Alternatives to the Use of Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research and Testing is available to the public at no charge. To obtain a print copy for your own use, contact NLM at the following address: National Library of Medicine, Specialized Information Services, Attention: Mrs. Vera Hudson, Building 38A, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda MD 20894-6094; tel: 301-496-5022; fax: 301-480-3537; email: Vera_Hudson@occshost.nlm.nih.gov.

If you wish an electronic copy of the bibliography, go to the NLM gopher site, gopher.nlm.nih.gov, and find the file Alternatives to Animal Testing Bibliography.

"Search for animal alternatives and the role of the information scientist," Judith L. Shevell and Mary Lou James. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 34(3) 1995 May:65-8.

From the Merck Research Laboratories, where searches are made for five basic areas to provide alternatives: non-animal or in vitro alternatives; animal models and species; potentially painful or distressful procedures; animal numbers; and unnecessary duplication. One of the recommendations is centralization of completed searches to obtain a "database of animal alternatives information that may be used in the future to assist investigators," and to enable their reuse and ease in update.

Merck Research Laboratories established an alternatives committee (ALTC) to assist its IACUC in ensuring that animal alternatives are satisfactorily addressed. The ALTC is structured to provide staff the opportunity to participate in some of the IACUC's important responsibilities and to enhance communication between the PIs and the IACUC. The PI is asked to address alternative methods of achieving the research results on a form sent to the Information Department. [Note: We recommend that the PI and information provider use the form as the basis for an in-depth interview prior to the actual search.] As one of the results, the ALTC at Merck developed an award program to recognize employees who develop and publish novel animal alternatives methods.

Mary Lou James (reprints), Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway NJ 07065