When is Euthanasia Appropriate?

1. Any condition resulting in a prolonged or irreversible inability to eat or drink, e.g., prolonged immobility, obstruction of the oral cavity, missing or abnormal teeth. Rodents should not go more than 24 hours without access to food or water.
2. Diseases or conditions indicating severe pain, distress, or suffering, e.g., fractures, self-induced trauma, abnormal posture or movements, open wounds or ulcers, or abnormal vocalization that is not relieved by anti-anxiety or analgesic agents.
3. Rapid or continuous weight loss, e.g., 20% or greater body weight over a few days, or gradual but continued weight loss.
4. Generalised decrease in grooming and abnormal appearance over an extended time period, e.g., rough coat, extensive alopecia, prolonged diarrhoea, urine-stained coat, swollen limbs, paralysis, or other neurological disturbances (convulsions, abnormal head carriage, circling behaviour, prostration).
5. Severe or continuing respiratory distress, e.g., coughing, sneezing, bloody nasal discharge, increased respiratory rate, laboured breathing.
6. Frank bleeding that is uncontrollable.
7. Evidence of microbial infections or other diseases that based on veterinary judgment are not treatable.

Example of response variables and scoring system in rodents:

If all of the criteria listed below were included in a clinical scoring sheet, a total combined score above 8 would warrant euthanasia. Any mice with 2 or more individual maximum scores (e.g., a 3 for activity and a 3 for weight) should also be euthanised.

Body Weight Changes

Physical Condition

Behaviour

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