1062 
ANIMAL RESOURCES 
Table II 
FACILITIES AND TIME INVOLVED IN 
'PROCESSING" RANDOM SOURCE DOGS 
Type of Facility 
Approximate Time 
in Facility 
rOUnQS, MUCTions dnu Dunoncib 
R tn 14 Hav^ 
Class B, USDA Licensed Animal 
5 to 30 days 
Dealer's Facility 
or more 
Research Facility: 
0 to 21 days 
Ouarantine and Conditioning 
or more 
Research Laboratory 
0 to indefinite 
period 
in mortality. It should be noted, however, that 
many of the deaths occurring during this period 
were related to an epizootic of Streptococcus 
zooepidemicus. The overall result of the 45-day 
quarantine and conditioning period, however, 
was the issuance of dogs which were in optimal 
condition. 
From fiscal year 1971 to the present, we have 
been purchasing 30-day preconditioned random 
source dogs and quarantining them for an addi- 
tional 15 days. Reduction of the conditioning 
period at the NIH was undertaken to reduce 
space requirements for random source dogs and 
thus permit increased production of colony bred 
dogs. The benefits accruing to the conditioning 
facility and the NIH researcher by this ar- 
rangement are shown in the third pie-graph 
(Figure 1). Only 9.0% of the dogs accepted be- 
came ill; the remaining 91.0% remained clini- 
cally healthy. It must be understood, however, 
that this kind of arrangement merely shifts the 
period of major morbidity /mortality to the 
dealer's facility: it does not alter the exposure 
and disease experience of dogs destined for 
biomedical research. The specific quarantining 
and conditioning procedures and various fac- 
tors identified with mortality and morbidity 
among random source dogs in this facility are 
discussed elsewhere.^ 
CANINE BLOOD DONOR COLONY 
The majority of the dogs issued for research 
at the NIH are used by The National Heart and 
Lung Institute (the annual average is 88% of 
the total number issued ; the range is from 85% 
to 92%). Prior to 1967, many of these dogs 
were exsanguinated to obtain canine blood re- 
quired to prime heart-lung machines for experi- 
mental surgery and for a variety of specific 
organ perfusion experiments. In 1967, a pilot 
study was initiated to evaluate the feasibility of 
meeting research needs for canine blood using a 
permanent group of dogs as donors. Although 
resistance was encountered initially, familiarity 
with the product and its ready accessibility has 
resulted in a sustained demand by researchers 
for canine blood from this source. The subse- 
quent establishment of a canine blood donor col- 
ony of adequate size to meet all requests for 
blood has helped to reduce the average annual 
use of random source dogs. 
Certain basic routines have been developed 
for canine blood donors. Blood collection tech- 
niques are evaluated periodically to insure that 
sterility of the product is maintained. All dogs 
in the colony are given physical examinations at 
periodic intervals, and prior to blood collection, 
each dog is evaluated hematologically and clini- 
cally. They are examined twice a year for hel- 
minth parasites and treated as necessary; 
immunizations against the common canine dis- 
eases are administered annually. Individual rec- 
ords are maintained on the dogs pertaining to 
their clinical and blood donation histories. The 
blood group of donors must be A-negative and 
they must be negative for microfilariae. Donors 
must be of an adequate size (28 kg or more) to 
provide. 500 ml (1 unit) of normal blood every 
DISEASE EXPERIENCES AMONG RANDOM SOURCE DOGS DURING VARIOUS 
QUARANTINE/CONDITIONING PERIODS AT NIH ANIMAL CENTER 
30 Day NIH Conditioning 
Period 
22,488 OFFERED 
6,863 REJECTED (30.5%) 
15,625 ACCEPTED (69.5%) 
45 Day NiH Conditioning 
Period 
13,501 OFFERED 
5,945 REJECTED (43.6%) 
7,556 ACCEPTED (56.4%) 
Preconditioned 30 Days 
by Vendor Plus 15 Days 
NIH Conditioning Peroid 
2,387 OFFERED 
362 REJECTED (15.2%) 
2,025 ACCEPTED (848%) 
FY 1965-1967 
FY 1968-1970 
FY 1971-1972^ 
-'Estimafe for FY 1972 bosed on experience from July I thru December 30, 1971 
Figure 1. 
