Laboratory Animal Refinement: Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Anaesthesia and analgesia refinement is a core 3Rs priority that reduces pain and distress in laboratory animals during and after scientific procedures.

Key Facts

The 3Rs framework requires Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal use in research
Refinement focuses on improving procedures to minimise pain, suffering and distress
Many painful procedures in rodents are still performed without adequate analgesia
Post-operative analgesic use in laboratory animals has increased significantly since 2000
Buprenorphine, meloxicam and carprofen are commonly used analgesics in laboratory rodents
Pain assessment tools including grimace scales enable objective identification of pain states
Regional anaesthesia techniques can reduce systemic anaesthetic requirements
Anaesthetic monitoring including heart rate and respiratory rate guides depth management

Welfare Considerations

Inadequate pain management in laboratory animals represents a preventable welfare failure. Post-procedural pain is frequently undertreated due to concerns about analgesic effects on experimental data. However, untreated pain itself alters physiology and behaviour, compromising data quality as well as animal welfare. The Refinement principle requires that pain management be the default rather than the exception. Education of researchers and technicians in pain recognition using validated tools is essential for ensuring that welfare obligations translate into practice.

What You Can Do

Support the NC3Rs in developing and disseminating anaesthesia and analgesia refinement resources
Advocate for mandatory pain management justification in ethics review applications
Researchers should use validated grimace scales to monitor post-procedural pain
Institutions should ensure anaesthesia and analgesia training is provided for all animal technicians
Support FELASA guidelines on refinement of anaesthesia and analgesia in laboratory species