VA HANDBOOK 7610 (278)
e. Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU)
This area should provide all that is required for the proper management of animals
used in biomedical research. It employs a system of housing and care that permits
animals to grow, mature, reproduce and behave normally, and to be maintained in
physical comfort and health. Proper management of laboratory animals is essential to
the welfare of the animals, to the validity of research data, and to the health and safety
of the animal-care staff. Items (a) to (p) define space for those functional areas
required in all VMUs.
NOTE: The following space requirements are based on a particular mode of
operation. In order to provide the flexibility required to plan space allocations
for individual VMUs, paragraph 5 defines the rationale upon which the space
is based and provides guidelines for the reapportionment of space to meet the
particular needs of individual VMUs.
(1) Animal Receiving and Examination Room .............................................................. 11.2 NSM (120 NSF)
This room serves as a short-term holding area for animals immediately following
delivery from a supplier. Animals received in shipping cartons are transferred to
cages in this area. This room should be located adjacent to the facility entrance (i.e.,
loading platform) and elevator (if an elevator is used to transport animals to the
animal rooms).
NOTE: Refer to paragraph 5b(3) for guidelines concerning adjustments to space
requirements.
(2) Diagnostic Laboratory................................................................................................. 11.2 NSM (120 NSF)
This room is equipped for performing diagnostic laboratory procedures such as
routine bacterial cultures, serology, hematology clinical chemistry, and
parasitological examinations.
(3) Animal Treatment Room .......................................................................................... 11.2 NSM (120 NSF)
This room is for the treatment of ill or injured animals and the performance of routine
preventive medical procedures (e.g., dental prophylaxis). The room is also used for
physical examinations, application of identifying markings (e.g., tattooing),
specimen collection, and immunization of incoming animals.
(4) Quarantine Room ...................................................................................................... 11.2 NSM (120 NSF)
Usually animals entering a VMU are isolated or "quarantined" prior to being entered
on a research protocol. During the quarantine period the health status of incoming
animals may be evaluated and animals are allowed time to recover from shipping
and become acclimated to their new environment. The quarantine room may also be
used for isolating animals suspected of harboring an infectious disease. The
quarantine room should be near the animal receiving area. Quarantine /isolation of
rodents, rabbits and other small species, can most efficiently be accomplished by
providing cubicles as described in item (e)2a.
Random source animals such as dogs, cats, sheep, goats, and nonhuman primates,
should be quarantined in facilities physically separated from quarantine facilities for
rodents and rabbits. The method and duration of quarantine will vary according to
the species, source, mode of shipment, and other factors such as microbiological
status of an animal at the time of arrival.
NOTE: Refer to paragraph 5b (4) for guidelines concerning adjustments to space
requirements.
278-10
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