Animal restraining apparatus and animal experiment for using the same

Abstract

An animal restraining apparatus and animal restraining procedure for using the same are provided. The experiment begins by preparing a live experiment animal, such as a mouse or rat coupled to a femoral vein/artery catheter via surgery. The experiment animal in a conscious state is then placed in a restraining apparatus. The restraining apparatus comprises a plurality of partitioning boards to partition the restraining space, such that the animal is restrained in the restraining space to prevent interference and infection from other animal, a supporting structure to carry the experiment animal, a rack for food and water, a signal receiver base, and a tail-fixing component fitted below or above the supporting structure. On the supporting structure, an opening is formed near the fixing component, with a guiding component formed outside the opening, such that the tail of the experiment animal can pass through the opening and follow the curvature of the guiding component until being restrained on the tail-fixing component. The curvature of the guiding component provides the least harmful and most natural curve for the tail of the rat or experiment animal. And by restraining the tail, the animal can be kept calm without agitation, while the animal is free to access food and water according to its physiological needs. Also, movement of the animal is kept to a minimum to prevent accidental catheter slippage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.