Food and Fluid Restriction
General
Certain experimental paradigms require the use of food or water restriction in order to accomplish studies such as operant conditioning work. The IACUC is required to approve these restrictions to ensure they are scientifically justified, minimize the level of restriction, and have criteria in place to monitor the health of animals on these studies.
Specifics
Animal use protocols employing food or water restriction must provide the duration of restriction, level of restriction, and justification for the restriction as part of the protocol description.Furthermore, the early removal criteria must provide methods to assess the animal’s health while on restriction. Typically this will require a frequent monitoring method such as daily weighing of the animal. Note that pre-surgical food restriction is detailed in the surgery procedure as part of the animal use protocol, and does not need specific justification.
