Guideline #22
Attending Veterinarian (AV) Review Guideline
1. References:
1.1. USDA Animal Care: Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations: 9 CFR §2.31(d)(1)(iv)(B)
1.2. AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 edition
1.3. IACUC Guideline #2: Policy on Prolonged Physical Restraint
1.4. IACUC Guideline #8: Fluid or Food Restriction or Deprivation
1.5. IACUC Guideline #12: Use of Freund’s Complete Adjuvant
2. Purpose/Scope: This Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) policy provides guidance on when an Attending Veterinarian (AV) consult is required prior to submission of animal care and use protocol (ACUP) to the Office of Research Integrity, Compliance and Security (ORICS) for IACUC review and the administrative process for requesting and documenting the AV consult.
3. Principal Investigators/Instructors (PIs) are required to consult with the Kansas State University’s AV prior to submitting an ACUP to the ORICS office for IACUC review whenever the proposed ACUP involves:
3.1. The use of anesthetics, analgesics, tranquilizers, sedatives, and/or paralytics for the induction/maintenance of anesthesia, alleviation of pain/distress, and/or chemical restraint.
3.2. USDA Pain Category D (alleviated pain/distress) or E (unalleviated pain/distress) animal procedures/manipulations that would otherwise cause more than momentary and/or transient pain or distress if performed without anesthesia, analgesia, (e.g., surgery, inducing disease/injury, LD50 toxicity testing, exposure to extreme environmental conditions, stress/performance testing, etc.).
3.3. Euthanasia methods that are categorized as “acceptable with conditions” or “unacceptable” as per the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 edition; except:
3.3.1. CO2 euthanasia in rodents
3.3.2. Isoflurane overdose in rodents
3.4. Prolonged Physical Restraint (Guideline #2)
3.5. Fluid or Food Restriction or Deprivation (Guideline #8)
3.6. Use of Freund’s Complete Adjuvant (Guideline #12).
4. PIs must complete their AV consultation, and make any suggested changes, prior to submitting their ACUP to the ORICS for IACUC review. This can be accomplished by emailing the AV to schedule an appointment. The email should indicate the PI’s availability, including best times to meet face-to-face and times available to have the consultation via phone. A copy of the draft ACUP must be attached. PI’s may also follow up the email request with a phone call to the AV. The AV consult may be accomplished either as a face-to-face meeting or via phone conversation. In the event that the AV is out of the office and/or otherwise unavailable for an AV consult within 5 working days of the PI’s request, the CMG Assistant Director is authorized to conduct the AV consult on behalf of the AV. Contact information can be found at https://www.k-state.edu/cmg/personnel.html.
LAST REVIEWED AND ADOPTED BY THE IACUC: February 20, 2025