USDA Pain Categories

Category	Definition	Comments
Category B	Used for Breeding or holding animal where no research is being conducted
Category C	Procedures, routine injections of non-toxic, non-irritating substances or venipuncture that produces minimal, transient, or no pain or distress
Category D^*	These Procedures would cause more than minimal or transient pain/ or distress, but are preformed using appropriate anesthetics, analgesics, or tranquillizers.
Category E^*	These procedures cause more than minimal or transient pain and/or distress but cannot be performed using anesthetics, analgesics or tranquilizers without adversely affecting the study. Mechanical restraint may, depending upon duration and type of restraint, be considered a category "E" study.	Approval to conduct category "E" studies requires detailed scientific justification in a separate paragraph (see section IV). This information must be forwarded by UCHC to the USDA (for USDA Covered Species only) as part of the annual report, and is accessible to the general public via the USDA Website in accordance with the freedom of information act.

^*) A Veterinarian from Veterinary Services should be consulted in the planning of procedures involving USDA categories "D" and "E".