Continuous professional development - CPD
All persons working with laboratory animals are required to keep relevant knowledge and skills up to date and adapted to their daily work with animals. Comparative medicine offers both theoretical and practical CPD education for internal and external users.
Mandatory CPD seminar – New Swedish regulations (L151)
The Swedish Board of Agriculture has published new regulations and general advice for laboratory animal experimentation, SJVFS 2025:28 saknr 151 and and SJVFS 2025:29 saknr L152 which replaced L150 on 4 December 2025.
To ensure that all personnel are familiar with the updated requirements, a mandatory CPD seminar is offered for everyone who works with laboratory animals and/or holds an ethical approval for animal experiments. Participation in one CPD event is sufficient, but mandatory. The seminar is free of charge.
Upcoming course dates and application:
Credit Points (CPD/ECTS):
The CPD seminar on the new Swedish Regulations gives 1 CPD point.
Anaesthesia, analgesia and surgery in mice and rats
Procedures that may cause pain or discomfort in small rodents must be performed under general anaesthesia. Appropriate pain relief (analgesia) must be provided postoperatively and, where necessary, before or during non-surgical procedures to prevent or minimize pain and distress.
This course provides up-to-date knowledge on laboratory animal anaesthesia, analgesia, and pain management, including the latest recommendations and best practices.
The course covers the following key topics:
- Anaesthesia and analgesia in rats and mice (lectures)
- Recognition and assessment of pain and distress in rats and mice (lectures and video-based exercises)
- Selection of appropriate anaesthetic protocols for different procedures and research needs (theory and hands-on practical training)
- Monitoring animals under general anaesthesia, including physiological parameters and perioperative care (theory and hands-on practical training)
Admission requirements
Applicants must hold a Function A qualification, including species-specific practical skills training in rodents (or an equivalent qualification), as a prerequisite for participation in this course. Participants are expected to have prior training and competence in working with mice and/or rats, as the workshop is designed to refresh and further develop existing practical skills.
Please find the complete course syllabus here: Course syllabus
Upcoming course dates and application
17-26 November 2026:
- November 17-19: Theory
- November 24 or 25: Practical lab session
- November 26: Exam
Course fee
Please see the current price list for courses offered by the LAS Education Unit.
Credit Points (CPD/ECTS):
The course on Anaesthesia, analgesia and surgery in mice and rats gives 1.5 ECTS and 4 CPD points.
Refining minor procedures in mice and rats
These courses focus on practical skills training for personnel who wish to refresh or further develop their competence in carrying out minor procedures on mice and rats.
Participants will first observe demonstrations by experienced instructors and then practice selected techniques using simulators as well as live animals. The course includes:
- Handling and restraint using non-aversive techniques
- Administration of substances via:
- Intraperitoneal injection
- Subcutaneous injection
- Intravenous injection
- Oral gavage
- Blood sampling from:
- Tail veins
- Saphenous veins
- Application of humane killing methods
- Appropriate procedures for confirming death
Admission requirements
Applicants must hold a Function A qualification, including species-specific practical skills training in rodents (or an equivalent qualification), as a prerequisite for participation in this course. Participants are expected to have prior training and competence in working with mice and/or rats, as the workshop is designed to refresh and further develop existing practical skills.
Upcoming course dates and application
For mice:
- September 1 at 1-4 pm and September 2 at 9 am - 4 pm
- September 29 at 1-4 pm and September 30 at 9 am - 4 pm
- October 27 at 1-4 pm and October 28 at 9 am - 4 pm
- November 17 at 1-4 pm and November 18 at 9 am - 4 pm
For rats:
The course is held on demand. Contact the LAS Education unit for course dates.
Course fees
Please see the current price list for courses offered by the LAS Education Unit.
Credit points (CPD/ECTS):
The course on refining minor procedures in mice and rats gives 0.5 ECTS and 2 CPD points.