Prof.Dr.drh. Dondin Sajuthi: Do not Let Animals Suffer Due to Experimentation Monday, March 30, 2015

Professor of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Prof.Dr.drh. Dondin Sajuthi said currently there is only one certified practicing animal doctor in Indonesia. "The veterinarian is the student under my supervision, who a few days ago got a certificate from the US," he said in the presence of the media members in the press conference for the pre-scientific speech in the Executive Lounge, Baranangsiang campus of IPB Bogor, on Thursday (26/3).

 

According to him, veterinary profession in particular that of experimental animals is needed for researchers. This is because the research in the field of biomedicine or bioscience uses laboratory animals a lot. The researchers need to interact with a variety of laboratory animals. Besides the use for research, laboratory animals are also needed in a large quantity for the benefit of the student’s education.

 

According to the Professor who will deliver a scientific speech in Dramaga campus, Saturday (28/3), the main problem is the welfare of laboratory animals. "Do researchers consider whether their treatment can cause suffering? Often the animals suffer as a result of experimentations and become disabled for life, even they have to be killed," he explained.

 

On the other hand, studies using laboratory animals can provide a solution to a lot of problems or diseases experienced by the human beings. Research using animals has been shown to help the researchers to gain understanding of the solution to diseases, healing, and even prevention of some diseases that plague humans and animals.

 

"One example is the polio vaccine production using Macaca fascicularis’ kidney cells or long-tailed monkeys because of their closest kinship with humans. The test of  beauty products also uses pigs as their skin characteristic is similar to that of human skin. The test of elephant foot drug uses one type of monkey because this animal can be infected by mosquito vilariasis. Another example is the test of weight loss drug and Alzheimer using monkeys," he explained.

 

The main objective of the laboratory animal welfare, he added, is to avoid the research or procedures that cause pain and suffering to animals. This is of course difficult to achieve, but efforts to minimize can always be done by ensuring the application of the 3R concept: Reduction, Replacement and Refinement, and they can still obtain valid research results. "A veterinarian who specializes in laboratory animals has the expertise and knowledge to be able to achieve this refinement," he said.

 

In addition to the 3R concept in the management and research with animals caged, he added, we also have to remember that the animal should enjoy the Five Freedoms (5F), namely, free from hunger, thirst and malnutrition; free from discomfort; free from pain, injury and disease; free to express  original behaviors; and free from fear and stress.

 

Researchers’ ignorance over the selected laboratory animals can lead to inaccurate interpretation of the study results. For example, animals that have been living socially and then put in individual cages will experience a high level of stress that affects the amount of the hormone cortisol in the blood, urine and feces. The change in the amount of hormone cortisol affects the physiological state of the body (can be seen from the body physiological data) that can interfere with the study results.

 

Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Laboratory Veterinary Practitioners said that there are some other practising laboratory veterinarians in Indonesia having no official certificates. They are members of the Association under the Indonesian Veterinary Association (PDHI). (Mtd)