Rodent Analgesia Service

Please give at least 7 days notice to ensure your request can be completed. Urgent requests may be accommodated if staffing allows, but is subject to a $50 "rush" fee.

*NOTICE!* RARC will no longer provide compounded Buprenorphine ER as a part of our rodent analgesia service. Instead, we will use Ethiqa XR, which is an extended-release pharmaceutical-grade buprenorphine for use in mice, rats, and ferrets. We are making this change for two reasons:

1. Due to regulatory changes, once a bottle of compounded Buprenorphine ER is punctured, we can only legally use it for an additional 28 days. While Ethiqa is more expensive, the expiration date after puncturing the bottle is 90 days, allowing more time to use the contents.
2. Buprenorphine ER is a compounded product, and not FDA-indexed/pharmaceutical grade. The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals specifies that pharmaceutical grade compounds should be used, when available. Ethiqa is a relatively new formulation, and we expect regulatory agencies to begin requiring its use in the near future.

The Dosing and Pricing lists for Ethiqa XR are available in the "Related Information" box to the right.

 Rodent analgesia administration by RARC VS has two charges:

• The veterinary staff charge at $62/hour (minimum billing time 1 hour; additional time billed in 15-minute increments).
• The analgesia medication fee per dose provided, determined by weight (includes cost of syringe/needle). 

Alternate analgesia administration service pricing is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Prices for rodent analgesia services are subject to change based on availability and vendor pricing.

What you receive:

1. RARC VS will meet with you in advance to determine an initial dosing schedule for providing analgesia to your rodents.
2. RARC VS will dose your rodents with an analgesic either in your laboratory space or in the vivarium.
3. In most cases RARC VS provides an analgesia that is a formulation of Ethiqa XR (pharmaceutical-grade extended-release buprenorphine).
4. RARC VS will give Ethiqa XR pre-procedure in cases when surgical analgesia is requested.     

PI requirements:

1. You must describe all procedures and subsequent analgesia (i.e. Ethiqa XR) in your animal-use protocol. See language below.*
2. The PI/research staff is responsible for monitoring all animals intra and post-procedure as per your approved protocol.
   Any signs of pica (eating of bedding or nesting material) or inappetence must be reported to your veterinary staff promptly.
3. The PI/research staff is responsible for any noncontrolled substance analgesia that rodents may require in addition to the analgesic given by RARC VS.
4. Analgesic services are only available non-holiday weekdays during regular business hours (7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Analgesic administration should be timed so that all dosing is completed no later than 3 p.m.
5. You must clearly mark the cages of all animals receiving RARC analgesia services.
6. The PI/research staff is responsible for any sign-ups for shared equipment (e.g. bio-safety cabinets in shared spaces) required during the time of procedure and/or time of analgesic administration.
7. Please mail the completed RARC Veterinary Service Agreement to rodentanalgesia@rarc.wisc.edu. We will review the details of your request and set up a meeting, if needed. Note: your signature isn't required on the form until we meet with you.

*Add the following information to the Anesthesia/Analgesia/Sedation section of your protocol:

Add the following information to the Complications section of your protocol:

Potential complications for Ethiqa XR:

• Rodents may (or may not) experience a reaction at the injection site.
• Rodents may exhibit pica or self-gnawing and licking behaviors and require alternate types of bedding and/or supportive care at the discretion of the RARC veterinarian for the duration of treatment. (Do not keep animals on wood chip or corncob bedding if pica is observed after administration).
• Mild weight loss has been observed post-procedurally in rodents administered opioids.
• Use with caution in rodents with preexisting respiratory deficiencies.