IACUC Guideline XII
Guidelines for Long-Term Care and Maintenance of Animals with Permanent Rumen Fistulas at the Pennsylvania State University

Purpose
Responsibility for Maintenance and Care
Maintaining Records
Disposal of Surgically Prepared Animals
Whom to Contact for Questions and Guidance
Standard Operating Procedure for Maintaining a Rumen Fistulated Animal

Purpose:

To ensure routine and consistent long-term maintenance and care of ruminant animals surgically prepared with a permanent rumen fistula and to meet the requirements of the Institute Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and related state and federal laws and regulations.

Responsibility for Maintenance and Care:

Surgical preparation of university-owned animals can only be performed after IACUC approval of a protocol justifying the need for this procedure and the use of the animals. During periods when these fistulated animals are actively being used, it will be the responsibility of the principle/co- investigators of the IACUC-approved protocol to ensure the routine maintenance of both the fistula and the cannula. During periods when the cannula is not being used, the care and maintenance of the fistula/cannula will become the responsibility of faculty and graduate students within the Ruminant Nutrition Group (Department of Dairy & Animal Science). This will be the arrangement until the animal leaves the university. The manager of the facility in which the animal is housed must be informed of transfer of responsibility and a record entry must be made.

Maintenance and Care:

• Animals with rumen fistulas must be monitored (observed) frequently for: Appetite, Behavior, and Presence and fitting of cannulae.
  
  For cows participating in research or required to be milked, daily observations will be necessary. Non-lactating cows on pasture should be monitored a minimum of every three days.
• Cannula and fistula (hole to rumen) must be closely examined and evaluated no less than once weekly, when the animal is actively being used or during fly season. When there is no active use of the animal biweekly assessments will be sufficient. During this examination the cannula and skin under its outer flange must be thoroughly examined. The following observations should be made: 1) Excessive leakage of rumen fluid from between the cannula and the fistula? Excessive leakage might indicated that the current cannula needs to be replaced with one of a larger size. 2)Foul (necrotic) smell from around cannula. This would suggest that either the cannula might be too tight or that a localized infection is occurring. Check under the flange of the cannula and observe the tissue at the rumen-skin junction for inflammation and/or infection.
  
  If a cannula accidentally comes out of an animal, it is important that it be reinserted immediately. This should be followed by a physical assessment (hydration, appetite, consistency and quantity of manure, and production) of the animal. An animal that loses its cannula for a prolonged period of time has a tendency to lose excessive fluids and electrolytes, which could compromise its health. A veterinarian should be consulted if it is suspected that an animal has lost an excessive quantity of fluid.
• It is typical for the majority of fistulas to leak, some more excessively than others. All debris which becomes caked onto the skin surface surrounding the cannula (ingesta, bedding, etc..) must be removed at least weekly by whatever method proves to be most satisfactory for the investigator and least stressful for the animal. This can most often be accomplished with combs, brushes, warm/soapy water, and perhaps, hair clippers. It is usually beneficial to keep the hair ventral to the cannula clipped so as to prevent the accumulation of debris and to ease the routine cleaning process.
• Rumen cannulae are typically very flexible when they are new. After a period of time (months) rumen fluid might cause a cannula to lose this flexibility, making it difficult to remove from the fistula to clean. A cannula must be replaced if it loses flexibility. A rumen cannula should be removed entirely from the fistula at least every 4 months. This will allow the removal of any ingesta that might have accumulated under the inner flange and to look into the rumen in order to visually examine the surface of the rumen, which lies under the inner flange. Once the cannula has been removed from the rumen it should be rinsed and wiped/scrubbed clean with warm tap water. Mild detergents can be used, but must be removed from the cannula surface prior to its reinsertion.

Maintaining Records:

Although production and health records are typically maintained for each member of a PSU flock/herd, it will be necessary to create and maintain an additional permanent record for each animal after it is fistulated. This record will allow the uniform transfer of historical information about each animal from investigator to investigator. The record should contain dates and information pertaining to significant events, starting with the date the fistula is surgically created. Other important entries would be: abnormal observations (excessive leakage, infection, treatment, etc), replacement of the cannula, changes of Principle Investigators and protocols, and anything believed to be significant. Maintenance of these records will be the responsibility of the PI. Records will be maintained for the livelihood of each animal while it is owned by Penn State. These records must be kept at the facility the animal is housed and available for review periodically by the Attending Veterinarian, the facility manager and/or members of the IACUC.

Disposal of Surgically Prepared Animals:

Unless permission is specifically granted otherwise, any animal surgical prepared with a permanent fistula will be disposed of by one of two ways: 1) euthanized by a veterinarian and submitted directly to the State Diagnostic Laboratory (University Park) for necropsy; or 2) send directly to a Federally approved slaughter facility.

As of 10/11/04, the IACUC voted that the Department of Dairy and Animal Science could sell to private farms fistulated cattle scheduled for cull.

Whom to Contact for Questions and Guidance:

In the event of an emergency or questions concerning the care/treatment of a particular fistulated animal contact the manager for the facility the animal is housed. Current managers of ruminant livestock facilities are:

In the event of a life-threatening emergency, and preferably after the facility manager has been contacted, the Clinical Veterinarian (Dr. John Shapira, Dr. Chris Homer or Dr. Kara Nelson: 814-355-3423) or the Attending Veterinarian (Dr. Jacob Werner: 865-1495) should be contacted. Should problems arise regarding the fistula/cannula, the veterinarian who performed the initial surgery should be consulted.

Standard Operating Procedure for Maintaining a Rumen Fistulated Animal

1. Assess the severity of leakage (if any) of rumen fluid from the fistula.
2. Assess the condition of the cannula.
3. Assess the status of the animal.
   • Appetite
   • Behavior
   • Body Condition
   • Production parameters (growth and/or milk yield, if lactating)
   • Current medical problems (mastitis, lameness, G.I., reproductive, etc)
4. Clean and groom animal, particularly the area ventral to the cannula. Debris (rumen fluid and bedding) can be removed from the hair and surface of the skin using warm tap water, soft scrub brushes, and mild detergents. Hands should be protected with rubber gloves during this procedure. This procedure should be accomplished as needed.
5. A minimum of every four months the entire cannula must be removed from the fistula in order to be cleaned. This technique can only be done when the animal is restrained and standing, and can be demonstrated by either the veterinarian performing the initial surgery, the attending veterinarian, or the P.I. Tranquilizers are not necessary for this procedure. For cleaning, the cannula should be submerged into warm tap water. All debris should be removed from the surface of the cannula; mild detergents can be used, but must be completely rinsed-off prior to reinsertion into the fistula. While the cannula is removed, the skin and rumen surface covered by the cannula should be examined. The entire procedure should take no longer than 10 minutes.
6. Record observations and animal care procedures in the animal's record. Provide date and name of individual making the observations and/or performing any procedures. These records must be kept at the facility the animal is housed and available for review periodically by the Attending Veterinarian, the facility manager and/or members of the IACUC.

Last Revised by the IACUC on 10/11/2004
Last Approved by the IACUC on 12/08/2008