Veterinary Care

Veterinarians
The UW-Madison chancellor affirms the authority of RARC laboratory animal veterinarians through the Veterinary Authority Letter. Members of the veterinary staff are specialty-board certified and have extensive experience.

RARC veterinarians work closely with campus husbandry programs to ensure a high standard of care. They advise researchers on species-specific enrichment and housing and how these factors can affect research. They also help researchers manage deviations from normal animal health and train investigators and personnel on working with animals.

RARC veterinarians also facilitate compliance with animal care and use regulations. They serve on Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees and educate committee members and the public. They advise and assist investigators with protocol design, anesthesia and analgesia, technique development, feasibility of a new research model, and the determination of animal numbers.

Veterinary technicians
RARC veterinary technicians provide specialized support to the campus veterinary care program, assisting veterinarians and research staff by providing a range of services, including medical care, diagnostic testing, sample-collecting, facilities maintenance, colony management, education and training, environmental enrichment, and animal transfer.

Fee for Service Activities
RARC Veterinary staff provide most routine veterinary care procedures for all research animals at UW-Madison at no charge to investigators. Examples include routine health checks, treatment for sick and injured animals, and post-surgical checks and treatments.

Limited assistance with research-specific procedures may be available on a fee-for-service basis, for example providing anesthesia support and monitoring for surgical or imaging procedures. Please contact your veterinarian, call (608) 262-1238, or email help@rarc.wisc.edu for more information.

X-Ray Services

RARC owns a portable X-ray system which can be used on animals that are difficult to bring into an imaging facility. There is no charge if RARC veterinary staff use the X-ray system for diagnostic purposes. If you would like X-ray imaging for your research projects, we may be able to provide that service.

X-ray system charges:

• • $35 equipment charge per occurrence (3 animals in one afternoon = $35; 3 animals over 3 days = $105)
  • $50/hr for vet staff time

Please contact your veterinarian, veterinary technician, or email help@rarc.wisc.edu for more information.