New edition of classic reference, The Laboratory Rat

The Laboratory Rat is a classic reference book found on the shelves of many researchers worldwide. The third edition of this reference is now available and it's been completely refreshed since the second edition was published in 2005. Sponsored by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM), this text is considered the definitive reference on care of the laboratory rat.

The third edition clocks in at a hefty 1180 pages and includes new chapters on the care of surgical and other fragile models as well as use of rats in particular research applications. The book is organized into four sections: background, biology and care, clinical care and disease, and rats as research models. Each chapter was written by a different set of scientific and veterinary experts, with nearly 90 contributors.

The background section includes an informative chapter on the foundations of rat research, with many interesting historical photos of early pioneers and equipment that now looks quaint to modern eyes. The biology and care section includes essential information on rat anatomy and physiology, behavior, nutrition and housing. This section also includes a chapter on reproduction and breeding written by Taconic Biosciences veterinarians Drs. Jeffrey Lohmiller, Sonya Swing and Marina Hanson.

The clinical care and disease section includes information on infectious disease caused by various types of agents, health management at the individual and colony level, cancer and other diseases as well as a chapter covering anesthesia and analgesia. About a third of the book is devoted to use of rats in different types of studies, including a chapter on gnotobiotics and the microbiome.

Representing a staggering amount of expertise and effort, this new edition of The Laboratory Rat is sure to be indispensable to scientists performing in vivo research, veterinarians, and laboratory animal professionals.