Zebrafish Health and Welfare Glossary - Welfare Terms, Appearance
APPEARANCE
Parameter | Welfare Indicators | Sub Category | Synonyms | Definitions | Severity Score
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General | Loss of Scales |
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| Scales detached from body | Mild: *Loss of scales no more than 10% of body Moderate: Loss of scales no more than 20% of body Severe: Loss of scales, more than 20% of body
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General | Lesions all over |
| Wound |
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| Open- Abrasion |
| Damage to the skin consisting of loss of the epidermis and portions of the dermis but not the complete thickness of the skin. | Mild: *No more than 10% of body Moderate: Covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body, open |
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| Open - Incision |
| A wound created by a sharp object. Edges are smooth and trauma to surrounding tissue is minimal. | Mild: *No more than 10% of body Moderate: Covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body, open |
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| Open - Laceration |
| An irregular wound created by tearing of tissue. Damage to both superficial and underlying tissue is variable. | Mild: *No more than 10% of body Moderate: Covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body, open |
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| Open - Puncture |
| A penetrating wound caused by pointed object | Mild: *No more than 10% of body Moderate: Covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body, open |
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| Closed - Contusion |
| Damage of the skin and /or underlying structures without breaking the skin e.g. bruising, crushing | Mild: *No more than 10% of body Moderate: Covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body |
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General | Skin ulcers |
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| Non-healing erosions of skin | Mild: *No more than 10% of body Moderate: Covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body, open |  | |
General | Multiple masses under skin |
| Swellings Raised areas Lumps | Abnormal appearance of masses of all descriptions (hard, soft, different shapes etc.) | Mild: 1 mass under the skin / fins which is not affecting natural behavior Moderate: Multiple masses under the skin / fins which is not affecting natural behavior Severe: Multiple masses under the skin / fins and natural behavior affected | | |
General | Raised scales |
| Protruding scales | Scales protruding outwards from body | Mild: *Protruding from body (raised) Moderate: Protruding from body (raised), enlarged abdomen Severe: Protruding from body (raised), red enlarged abdomen
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General | Obese |
| Large Fat | Extremely fat, grossly overweight |
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General | Weight loss |
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| Reduction in body weight compared to controls | Mild: *Reduced body weight / thin compared to controls Moderate: Body weight loss / thin, sunken abdomen compared to controls Severe: Body weight loss /thin, sunken abdomen, and muscle loss - emaciation |
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General | Weight gain |
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| Increase in body weight compared to controls |
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General | Thin |
| Emaciated skinny | Lean or slender in form | Mild: *Reduced body weight / thin compared to controls Moderate: Body weight loss / thin, sunken abdomen compared to controls Severe: Body weight loss /thin, sunken abdomen, and muscle loss - emaciation | ||
General | Longer body length |
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| Longer than control from tip of head - base of tail |
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General | Shorter body length |
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| Shorter than control from tip of head - base of tail |
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General | Oedema |
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| An excessive accumulation of serous fluid in tissue spaces or a body cavity | Mild: *Oedema - low level and highly localized fluid accumulation in tissue Moderate: Oedema - increased fluid accumulation in one or many tissues Severe: Oedema - high fluid accumulation in one or multiple tissues |
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General | Excessive mucus |
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| Excessive mucus development on body | Mild: *Increased mucus layer to no more than 10% of the body, normal behavior Moderate: Increased mucus to more than 20% of the body, normal behavior Severe: Increased mucus to body of more than 20%, abnormal behavior |
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General | Red or white lesions |
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| Discoloured lesions to the body and fins e.g. Parasitic lesions | Mild: *No more than 10% of body
Moderate: covering not more than 20% of body Severe: Covering more than 20% of body, open |
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General | White raised nodules |
| White spots | White nodules covering the body | Mild: *1 under the skin / fins which is not affecting natural behavior Moderate: Multiple under the skin / fins which is not affecting natural behavior Severe: Multiple under the skin / fins and natural behavior affected |
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General | Curved spine |
| Kinked Arched | Curvature of the spine, spinal deformities | Mild: Curvature of the spine not affecting natural behaviour or development Moderate: Curvature of the spine effecting development Severe: Curvature of the spine, unable to perform natural behaviors and abnormal development | | |
General | Reduced / loss of mucus |
| Dryness to body | Reduced mucus development / loss of mucus resulting in dry patches | Mild: *Decreased mucus layer causing dry area to no more than 10% of the body, normal behavior Moderate: Decreased Mucus to more than 20% of the body, normal behavior Severe: Decreased mucus to the body of more than 20%, abnormal behavior |
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General | Bubble formation |
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| Bubbles within the skin, fins and gills | Mild: *Bubbles formed under skin to one area of the body Moderate: Bubbles formed under skin to more than one area of the body Severe: Bubbles formed under skin to more than one area of the body, abnormal behavior |
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General | Loss of color |
| Pale Dull | Loss of colouration to body not expected for strain | Mild: Loss of body / fin coloration no more than 20% of body or fins Moderate: Loss of body / fin color not expected for strain, more than 20% of the body or fins Severe: Loss of body / fin color not expected for strain, more than 20% of body or fins. Additional signs of stress present such as increased operculum movement
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General | Darkened colour |
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| Darkened colouration to body not expected for strain | Mild: Increase of body / fin coloration no more than 20% of body or fins Moderate: Increase of body / fin color not expected for strain, more than 20% of the body or fins Severe: Increase of body / fin color not expected for strain, more than 20% of body or fins. Additional signs of stress present such as increased operculum movement |
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