1.1 This practice describes the terms used in observing and recording cutaneous, gastrointestinal, respiratory, reproductive, neuromuscular, ocular, and general clinical signs of animals undergoing toxicological testing. This practice also assists in properly observing and assessing laboratory animals for signs of disease or adverse effects of compound administration.

1.2 This practice includes codes and descriptions for a wide variety of clinical signs, anatomical locations, and other descriptive qualifiers, and a technique for scoring the extent or severity of clinical signs.

1.3 This practice assumes that the reader is knowledgeable in animal toxicology and related pertinent areas and is trained in making clinical observations.