Clidox Preparation
- Mixed as a 1:5:1 dilution (1 part base, 5 parts water, 1 part activator).
- Prepared once per week.
- Use in squeeze bottle or spray bottle.
- Properly label bottle.
- To be used as hand and surface disinfectant.
- Sign-up sheet; initial; 1 bottle per room.
Receiving New Animals
- Spray boxes with Clidox before entry into GTTF.
- Boxes are sprayed a second time in Laminar Flow Hood.
- Examine overall exterior condition of box.
- Check receiver information with label on box.
- Check contents on box ( ex: correct strain, sex and overall health).
- Notify CCM office of any problems.
- Follow special husbandry procedures on receiver.
- House mice appropriately (CCM standard operating procedures).
- Complete receiver (number of mice received and number of cages).
- Add total number of cages to inventory sheet.
- Bring receiver to CCM office.
Use of Shoe Covers
- Shoe covers need to be changed when exiting or entering the GTTF hallway.
Changing Cages (Micro-Isolators)
- Alternate major change/partial major change every other week.
- A minor change being the second change for the week.
- Add a nestlet if cage does not contain nesting material.
- Shelf racks replaced every four weeks.
Sterile Procedures for Entering Cages
- New Clidox prepared every week (1:5:1 dilution).
- Soak cotton cloth with Clidox; wipe interior of Laminar Flow Hood.
- Discard cloth; wait five minutes.
- Wet a new cotton cloth with Clidox and leave in hood for disinfecting hands in between cages (continually soaking cloth).
- Place sterile cage under hood.
- Remove cage top; place to one side.
- Wipe hands on Clidox cloth.
- Enter into sterile micro-environment.
- Check water bottle level; level should not be full; level should be at bottom of neck of bottle.
- Remember that inside cage components are sterile; outside cage components are considered dirty; NEVER LET OUSIDE COMPONENTS TOUCH INSIDE STERILE ENVIRONMENT.
Daily Cage Monitoring
- Observe animal health.
- Check feed and water levels.
- Change cages that appear wet or flooded.
- Report any births, sick or dead animals to colony management staff.
Special Feeding Requirements
Necessary for weanlings and young C57Bl/6, Transgenics, Malocclusions and overall "sick" mice:
- Place a sterile Petri dish with autoclaved granular Harlan 7012 diet on floor of cage.
- Replace as needed.
- Put a yellow "monitor food" card on cage.
- Gel food may be added to cage in a sterile Petri dish for mice that appear dehydrated.
Pregnant Mice
- Place a "please separate" card on cage for harem mating units.
- Colony management staff will separate females and provide a nestlet.
- Do not change cage two days before birth.
- Do not change cage until pups are at least three days old.
- Pups are transferred into clean cage with previous nestlet if not excessively soiled.
- Place food on cage bottom.
Recording Litters
- Note date of litter on birth card.
- Write "wean" date; 21 days from birth date.
- Inform Colony Management staff of new litters or missing litters.
- Turn card around to "please wean" at 21 days.
- Don't count litter number until day three or more.
- If litter needs to be fostered notify Colony Management staff of birth.
Supplies
- Sterile supplies and caging may be brought into the GTTF and rolled across sticky mats.
- Upon returning from the pass-through room shoe covers are taken off before walking through GTTF corridor and discarded.
Cleanliness of Work Area
- Clean Laminar Flow Hood after use with Clidox then 70 percent alcohol.
- Sweep floor after changing cages.
- Mop floor with Quatricide weekly.
- Clean sinks and counters weekly.
- Maintain GTTF hallway weekly.
- Check operational function of air purifiers in Procedure Rooms.
- Change wall filters every three months.
- Sanitize rooms every six months.
- Pull sticky mats daily.
- Racks placed in hallway for removal of dirty cages.
Exiting Dirty Supplies To Washroom
- Cover all caging.
- Remove plastic bags from water bottles.
- Leave dirty caging at end of GTTF hallway; do not exit caging until you are finished with daily husbandry work.
- Once cages are sent outside of GTTF double-doors; remove shoe covers before walking down clean corridor.
Supplies Entering Facility
- All items enter at East Dock end of hallway.
- Spray with Clidox 1:5:1 dilution.
- Whenever possible wait 48 hours before bringing into facility.
Contributed by Kelly Hoyt.