Elizabethan collars

An Elizabethan collar is fitted and fastened around the neck of each test animal. The collar remains in place for the 24-h exposure period. The collars are utilized to prevent removal of wrappings and patches by the animals, while allowing the animals food and water ad libitum. 

Elizabethan collars (Harvard Apparatus, Holliston, Massachusetts)... 

When we used Elizabethan collars, every one of the mice managed to slip out of the collars within a 24 h period making these collars unreliable. 

For dermal toxicity testing the drug substance is applied by innunction of a certain volume onto a depilated (mechanically or by depilatories) skin areas. However, these methods can alter the permeability of the skin. In order to avoid licking off from the treated skin areas, Elizabethan collars can be fixed around the neck of the animals. 

During exposure, attimals should be prevented from ingesting or inhaling the test substance. Restrainers. such as Elizabethan collars, that permit animals to rrave about their cages should be used for this purpose. Immobilization is not recom-meiuted. 

Animals need to be bathed with copious amounts of soap and water. If dermal decontamination is not implemented quickly, mustard will react with the skin and cannot be easily removed (Sidell et al., 1997). Sodium thiosulfate (2.5% solution) can be used dermally to neutralize mustard exposures (Garigan, 1996). Animals may also be bathed with dilute (0.5%) h5qjochlorite solutions (Borak and Sidell, 1992). Monitor for dermal burns. Secondary infection is common. Topical silver sulfadiazine can be applied to all bums, and an Elizabethan collar should be put in place to decrease ingestion of the ointment and self-trauma. Topically applied dexa-methasone and diclofenac reduced inflammahon in a mouse when applied within 4h (Dachir et al., 2004). All equine and ovine patients should be inoculated with tetanus toxoid. Vaccination of other species should be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

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