Prevention of Pain

• Studies that require the animal to reach a moribund state or die spontaneously as the endpoint of the study
• The earliest endpoint possible should be used to prevent pain or distress
• Ensuring that drug doses are correct and that the drugs used are not expired
• Ensuring that procedures to be performed on the animal are reasonable for that species.
• Using appropriate anesthetics and analgesics for potentially painful procedures
• Performing surgeries and procedures aseptically to prevent infection
• Performing only a single major survival surgery on any one animal, whenever possible
• Performing appropriate post-surgical care, including thermoregulation and fluid balance