Rat Strain Information (FOB: Home Cage Measurement)
Strain Name  DMY/Kyo 
Body Position  A,A,A,A,A,A 
Respiration  1,1,1,1,1,1  
Tonic Involuntary Movement Cage  1,1,1,1,1,1  
Vocalization  1,1,1,1,1,1  
Palpebral Closure  3,3,3,3,3,3  
 

Home-cage measurements
(Observe the animals from outside the cages, taking care not to agitate them. Do not touch the animals.)

1) Body position: Choose the word from the following list that best describes the animal's posture (classification).


S (sitting or standing): Sitting or normally standing
A (asleep): lying on side curled up or crouching
R (rearing): Standing on hindlimbs
H (hunchback): Back is rounded, even when walking, and animal appears to be holding stomach
L (lying): Lying on side, limbs in air
F (flattened): Animal is spread out with abdomen pressed to floor
C (catalepsy): Animal is in a cataleptic-like state; may be 1 of a variety of postures, but animal must maintain an unnatural posture
Note: Only an assessment of S, A or, if of a mild degree, R is considered normal.


2) Respiration: Choose the item from the following list that best describes the rate and extent of breathing (score).


1: Normal
2: Slightly incomplete/fast and shallow, bradypnea (breathing either fast and shallow or slow)
3: Moderately incomplete/rapid breathing, difficulty breathing (breathing very fast and shallow or very shallow and labored in appearance)
4: Severely incomplete/wheezing, breathing with mouth open (wheezing or breathing with mouth open)
5: Weak breathing (breathing very little)
3) Clonic involuntary movement: Choose the applicable item from the following list (score).
1: None/normal
2: Repetitive mouth/jaw motion
3: Twitching of limb, auricles or head
4: Generalized tremors
5: Clonic seizure
6: Trembling


4) Tonic involuntary movement: Choose the applicable item from the following list (scored).


1: None/normal
2: Extending contraction (limb or limbs extends and becomes rigid)
3: Sudden jumping (all limbs come off floor)
4: Tonic extending convulsion
5: Tonic convulsions seen with respiratory distress, seizure or death


5) Vocalization: Check for spontaneous vocalization. Choose the applicable item from the following list (scored).


1: No vocalization/normal
2: Vocalization noted


6) Palpebral closure: Choose the item from the following list that best describes the closure of the animal's eyes within the cage (scored).


1: Open
2: Slightly sagging/half shut (eyelids slightly lowered)
3: Shut (eyelids are closed)