1. ANIMAL TESTING
BY KIM O’CONNOR

2. INTRODUCTION
Welcome to my seminar on animal testing. Today I will talk to you about the history, good and bad effects of animal testing, and the alternatives now available. There will also be some other shocking facts throughout my seminar. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

3. FACTS ABOUT ANIMAL TESTING
Animal research has saved lives, improved quality of our lives and has given doctors’ ways of developing treatment, prevention and cure disease.
Scientists have developed non-animal research models to be used for some research. These models are used instead of live animals. These cannot be used in all cases.
Approximately 90% of animals used in research are rats, mice and other rodents. This is because they have a short life span, are easy to breed and their bodies are similar to human biology.
Approximately 300,000 animals undergo testing procedures for research a year in New Zealand

4. Legislation for animal testing, teaching and research in New Zealand
Throughout New Zealand animals are used in several situations for research testing and teaching purposes. Under the Animal Welfare Act and other organisations the research is strictly controlled by a code of ethical conduct. This code sets out policies and procedures that scientists must abide by during research. Every project must be monitored and be approved of by the Animal Ethics Committee. During research the 3 R’s must be considered. These are Replacement, Reduction and Refinement.
Replacement- animals should be replaced with non-animals wherever possible
Reduction- numbers of animals used should be kept to a minimum to achieve a better result
Refinement- pain and distress should be reduced as much as possible eg- painkillers administered, housing appropriate

5. ANIMALS COMMONLY USED Cats Dogs Fish Deer Mice Rats Birds Pigs Cows
Guinea pigs
Rabbits
Approximately 300,000 animals a year go through procedures in testing and research. The animals commonly used for animal testing, and research in New Zealand are: Cats and dogs to rabbits, deer, mice, rats, fish, birds, pigs, cows and guinea pigs.

6. HISTORY OF MEDICAL ANIMAL TESTING AND RESEARCH
1600s William Harvey – blood circulatory system experiment
1700s horse blood pressure measurement – Stephen Hales
1700s Antoine Lavoisier – guinea pig respiratory experiment
Early 19th century Louis Pasteur – sheep anthrax experiment
Late 19th century Emil von Behring diphtheria toxin experiment
1920s dogs used to research cures for diabetes
s research guinea pigs to find cure for tuberculosis
1950s mammals testing anaesthetics produced.
Primates used for extensive research of aids
1974 genetic research took place on mice
1996 the 1st sheep to be cloned dolly was born
There is a great history in animal testing, many medical breakthroughs have taken place. These include:
William Harvey used animals to observe and describe the blood circulatory system in the 1600s, this was the first observations of significance to modern science. Stephen Hales used a horse to demonstrate blood pressure measurements and Antoine Lavoisier used guinea pigs to demonstrate respiration is a form of combustion with the calorimeter in the 1700s. Louis Pasteur infected sheep with anthrax, to prove the germ theory of medicine in the 19th century. Medical research could not have been made without the use of animals in some way. Emil von Behring used a mixture of toxin and antitoxin to isolate diphtheria toxin to protect guinea pigs from developing the disease in the late 19th century. A vaccine was created 15 years later, this could be used on humans. During the 1940s and 1950s a group of researchers used streptomycin to cure tuberculosis in guinea pigs. This was to demonstrate antibiotics could halt and reverse spread of disease in humans. Anaesthetics were produced in the 1950s by using a range of mammals as test subjects. During 1974 genetic research took place in mice. In 1996 the first sheep Dolly was born. The birth of Dolly was caused through an advance in research earlier in 1974.

7. Animal nutritional research
Massey University undertake animal nutritional research. This includes a variety of animals, such as cats, dogs, horses, pigs, poultry, cattle and sheep. This research is to find out how efficient nutrition of pet food is on animal growth and health. During research a vast variety of tests are undertaken, including, taste, quality, shelf life and sensory attributes. Procedures are developed to evaluate nutraceuticals, functional foods and enzyme function for both human and animal food industries.

8. VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING
BIOCHEMISTRY
HAEMOTOLOGY
MICROBIOLOGY
PARASITOLOGY
SEROLOGY
HISTOLOGY
BIOCHEMISTRY- These tests check for trace elements such as copper, zinc, cobalt, manganese, iron, iodine and selenium. Hormone assays are also done. This includes cortisol, progesterone etc. Specimens which get analysed during this process are serum, plasma, urine other body fluids, food stuffs, feeds, water and the environment.
Haematology- This is a food and drug safety assessment. Provides for complete blood counts, blood grouping, full coagulation screening and cross matching on all species.
Microbiology- Test cultures, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, urinalysis blood cultures, microscopy with various staining techniques, test feed stuffs for pathogen hygiene.
Parasitology- Test all animal types. These tests include: faecal egg counts, larval culture, lungworm and liver fluke, ectoparasite parasite identification.
Serology- undergo antigen and antibody testing for a large range of animal diseases.
Histology- Tissue samples are processed view for fungi and bacteria.

9. Agricultural research
Methane research- objective is to help eliminate and breed animals with less methane emissions.
Nitrous oxide research- objective is to reduce nitrous oxide emissions into the soil through urine patches, by using nitrification inhibitors.
Research to increase milk production is being investigated. Scientists are seeing if they can manipulate the protein for lactation to make the cows produce more milk daily than usual.

10. TYPES OF ANIMAL TESTING
EYE IRRITANCY
ACUTE TOXICITY
REPEATED DOSE TOXICITY
SKIN CORROSITIVITY / IRRITATION
SKIN SENSITIZATION
PHARMACOKINETICS/TOXICKINETICS
AND METABOLISM
DERMAL PENETRATION
CARCINOGENICITY
NEUROTOXICITY
PYROGENICITY
The animals go through a vast variety of tests, these include:
Eye irritancy (DRAIZE eye test) This test involves examination of the eye. During this test substances are placed in one eye with the other serving as a control, rabbits are restrained so they can’t respond naturally to irritation. Their eyes are evaluated after 1 hour and then at 24 hour intervals for 14 days. Evaluation of the eye then occurs. First by observing the cornea, then the conjunctiva and finally the iris. Rabbit’s eye structure differs to humans by the form of the cornea. Rabbits produce far less volume of tears than humans, allowing the chemicals and other irritants placed in eyes to linger longer and cause more irritation.
Acute toxicity- Determines the danger of exposure to a chemical by mouth, skin or inhalation.
Repeated dose toxicity- Repeated doses are given to an animal for a given period of time to find out how repeated doses affect the organs.
Skin corrosivity/ irritation- This involves assessing the corrosiveness and potential for a substance to cause irritation to the skin. Tests show level of damage such as itching, swelling and inflammation. This test is commonly done on rabbits. This involves placing a chemical on a shaved patch of skin. The skin of an animal differs to humans so using animal data to determine skin irritation on humans is often inaccurate.
Skin sensitization- A test where guinea pigs are commonly used. During this test a substance is injected or applied to the skin to determine if a chemical causes an allergic reaction.
Pharmacokinetics / toxic kinetics and metabolism- Measures the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of toxic substances. Some chemicals are inactivated by metabolism, others become more toxic as they are metabolised.
Dermal penetration- A test where rats are commonly used. Analysation of the movement of a chemical through the skin and into the bloodstream occurs during this test.
Carcinogenicity- The purpose of this test is to check for signs of cancer after administration of a drug. This involves oral, skin or inhalation administration into the rat or mouse, for a 2 year period. Animal is monitored throughout. Animal is then killed and checked for signs of cancer. Rodents are more prone to cancer than humans making results unreliable.
Neurotoxicity- The purpose of this test is to find out what substances affect the nervous system. Effects of pesticides are used in this test. Animals commonly used are rats.
Pyrogenicity- Is a substance (bacteria) which causes animal’s body temperature. This test finds out if there’s any possible fever causing contaminants in vaccines or injectable drugs. Rabbits are used for this commonly.

11. ALTERNATIVES TO ANIMAL TESTING
Computer models: During this procedure aspects of the human body are modelled. These models can form replicas of the heart, lungs and other organs. Using computer models can predict the effects of drugs in humans.
Organ on a chip: These are models which have a series of tiny holes (chambers) containing human skin. These test for drug metabolism and can test for disease. Models have been created so far that mimic the heart lungs and liver.
Micro dosing: Measures how small doses of drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted in humans. Small doses of drugs get injected into humans and then a blood test is given later to find out the results.
Quantitative structure-activity relationship models: These computer systems predict the toxicity of new drugs and the similarities between compounds
Embryonic skin cell testing: Stem cells are used to find out how toxic a drug is on a foetus. This test is found to be 78% accurate, 100% at detecting toxic chemicals in this procedure, where using animals is only 60% at detecting toxic chemicals.
There are many alternatives to animal testing, which are not always considered when undertaking testing procedures. These alternatives are often more humane, quicker, cheaper and more effective than the use of animals. These alternative procedures used are: computer models, organ on a chip, micro dosing, quantitative structure-activity relationship models, embryonic skin cell testing.

12. CONCLUSION
Animal testing research has proven to accomplish many scientific breakthroughs, such as find cure to disease, make food fit for consumption. The only downside to it is the party pill and cosmetic testing that gets done on the animals. Alternatives are a better option as they are quicker more effective and cheaper than animal testing. Come on let’s make animal testing illegal in NZ you can help support these animals by simply not buying anything that you know has been tested on animals or by signing the petition today. The more signatures the better, then we can hopefully end this once and for all.
Thank you all for attending my seminar I hope I have informed you of some key points on what goes on in animal research.
Now Is there any questions?

13. Bibliography
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PETA (2013) retrieved from
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Wikipedia (19 November 2013) retrieved from

14. Bibliography continued
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