啮齿类实验动物垫料的质量控制

实验动物垫料是一种可控制的影响动物健康、动物实验结果和动物福利国际公认重要的环境因素之一。本文以提出我国啮齿类实验动物接触性垫料质量评估体系为目的，通过查阅文献、资料，调查访等，发现影响实验动物垫料质量的因素主要有垫料原材料类型，垫料的化学成分、垫料是否受到杀虫剂、重金属、微生物污染，动物是否喜欢以及舒适性、吸收性，垫料的形状、规格，以及垫料的加工、灭菌、包装、运输和储存等。分析、研究结果显示，评估啮齿类实验动物垫料质量三个最重要的指标是：垫料吸收动物粪尿和氨的能力要强、对动物和研究人员没有危害、使用垫料有利于改善动物福利。垫料质量评估（检测）和控制应从垫料的化学特性、物理特性和微生物特性等三个方面展开。为我国实验动物生产和动物实验标准化提供了重要参考。

Criteria of Evaluation of Rodent AnimaI Bedding

Laboratory animal bedding is a controllable environmental factor that can influence animal health, animal experimental data and animal well-being. We found that many factors can influence the quality of animal bedding, such as raw material, chemical conten, chemical contaminants, heavy metals, microorganisms, bedding size and sharp. We suggest that non-toxicity, high absorptivity and easiness might be the important factors determining the quality of animals bedding. Laboratory animal bedding should fulfill chemical, physical and microbiological requirements essential to the health and well-being of the animals. Bedding should be inspected whether it is contaminated with pesticides, polychlorinated compounds, detergent residues, heavy metals, bacterium, yeasts and molds, parasite, whether ether extractable substance has cell toxicity. The uniformity of bedding, absorptivity and easiness should also be tested.