I have had IC for six years.  I have loved animals my entire life.  Simply stated I wish for the day when animals are no longer treated as mammal medical "stand-in" subjects, but as sentient beings with feelings, emotions and pain thresholds.  There have already been numerous studies done on laboratory mice, rabbits (and potentially cats) to study the affects that IC has on their bladders.  Researchers will claim that all of the animal testing is done in the name of medical research and to find cures for IC but I hope that I am not the only voice that will be raised against this practice. 

Countless people benefit from pharmaceutical drugs to treat their IC.  Additionally, countless people move from treatment protocol to treatment protocol and do not find much relief from their IC pain and symptoms.  I wonder and worry though about the countless laboratory animals that will continue to be subjected not only to the markers that cause IC, but to countless protocols of drugs to try and treat the IC, all the while measuring, manipulating and storing the data.  These animals do not have a voice.  As a human with IC, I have a choice about my treatment plan, and I can voice my pain and discomfort.  I can talk to a friend or meet someone else with IC.  I can blog about my pain living with IC.  These poor animals are subjected to the pain and then left to sleep in their wire cages until the next morning when the researchers return to the laboratory.  Food for thought, ICers.  That is all I, and the animals, can hope for at this point.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0002096

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28006