Best Practices for Blood Collection and Anaesthesia in Mice: Selection,
Application, and Reporting
Abstract
Blood collection in mice is a common procedure in biomedical research.
The choice of blood collection method and the need for analgesia and/or
anaesthesia depend on multiple factors, including the experimental
setup, animal welfare considerations, and the intended downstream
analyses. This minireview describes key non-surgical and surgical blood
collection techniques, the appropriate use of analgesia and anaesthesia,
and best practices for documentation and adherence to reporting
standards in animal studies. We here provide a table summarizing
collection procedures, a table listing animal welfare guidelines from
multiple countries, a table describing the most common analgesics and
anaesthetics, doses, and route of administration, as well as a table
outlining key points for reporting blood collection, anaesthesia, and
analgesia protocols. A decision chart is also included to assist in
selecting the most suitable method. Ultimately, with this minireview, we
aim to promote standardized practices, improve data reproducibility, and
support ethical animal research.