Best Practices for Blood Collection and Anaesthesia in Mice: Selection, Application, and Reporting

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.