How to sacrifice adult rats - (Aug/15/2006 )
Hi,
I need to sacrifice adult rats to isolate microglia for primary cell culture purposes. I am reluctant to use an overdose of anaesthesia or CO2, etc. as these may have an affect on the cells. What do you all think about using guillotines? I've done cervical dislocation on mice before but I'm afraid doing the same for adult rats may prove difficult.
I need to sacrifice adult rats to isolate microglia for primary cell culture purposes. I am reluctant to use an overdose of anaesthesia or CO2, etc. as these may have an affect on the cells. What do you all think about using guillotines? I've done cervical dislocation on mice before but I'm afraid doing the same for adult rats may prove difficult.
I had a practical course (disecting animals) where the professor broke the neck of the rats by smacking them on the edge of the table. This needs practice, but very impressive for students how then have double respect before him
. I entered once in a labroom where someone was sacrifying rats by cutting the head. If I would have known, I would have never enter this room.
A kind of room of horror. Looks like a bad screaming movie ! 
Don't you know anybody who is used to do cervical dislocation on rats?
the guy from the animalery staff was doing it so well that the rat still don't know that he has been killed. However I have to admit that I don't do it. I don't know if I would be able to. I even don"t think I would be able to do it on mice. 
We used to gas preganant rats with CO2 before we remove the brains for primary hippocampal cultures from the embryos.
If u r concerned abt CO2, use a higher dose of any anesthetic to kill the rat.
U could try cervial dislocation, just b careful.
My lab uses guillotines to sacrifice some of their rats, but I myself have never personally used them. They don't seem to have any problems with it and I imagine if done right it would be a quick and efficient way to sacrifice them.
I think the best plan for you may be to ask someone in your animal facility to give you advice on how to use the guillotine for rats and ask one of them to be there the first time you do it. I'm sure they would be willing to and that way you will have someone there who will help you avoid causing undo pain or not sacrificing the rat properly. Your animal facility or resident vet may even be able to give you some other alternatives for sacrificing the rats.
Sacrificing animals is always a scary prospect. We all hate inflicting pain and fear not doing it correctly and having the animal still be alive. I think that whatever you do you just have to be careful and ask the experts around you for help (at least initially).
I think cutting the rat head is the best way to sacrifice the rat and maintain the structure of the brain.
Thank you all, great comments.
Will work closely with animal technicians and come up with the most suitable technique.
I don't like taking animal work lightly, and I'm glad the rest of you feel the same.
Cheers!
in my facility, if you want to decapitate the animal without anesthesia (especially if using a guillotine) then you have to justify the protocol extensively. the animal rights committee doesn't like it if there is the possibility of causing pain.
So using the guillotine is not as quick and painless as say, cervical dislocation?
it can be quick, if used properly and if it is in good condition. if not, you may not decapitate the rat in one quick, smooth motion. also, the rat may resist placement into the device and its struggles may cause improper operation (watch out for your fingers).
i've seen it used properly and improperly (i've never used it myself). i prefer anesthesia.