Changes to the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals

The American Veterinary Medical Association has released the most current version of The AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 Edition.  Although the document includes a large number of changes, the one we would like to bring to your attention for immediate implementation is the increase in the recommended CO2 flow rate for rodent euthanasia from 10-30% to 30-70% cage volume/min.

We encourage you to read the document in its entirety to gain better insights into the work and recommendations from the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia and to update your lab procedures to conform to these new requirements. Please consult with your veterinarians to clarify any questions you may have about this new update and to inform your research staff of this new recommendation.