Accurate drug dosing in laboratory mice is a critical aspect of preclinical research, ensuring reproducibility, safety, and ethical standards in animal experiments. 

In pharmacological and immunological research, the dose (mg/kg) must be adjusted according to each animal’s weight. For instance, if a mouse weighs 25 g (0.025 kg) and the required dose is 10 mg/kg, the total amount to inject is 0.25 mg. If the drug concentration is 5 mg/mL, one should inject 0.05 mL (50 µL) per mouse. Calculations should always consider maximum injection volumes depending on the route e.g., intraperitoneal (IP), intravenous (IV), or subcutaneous (SC) — and physiological tolerance limits [1]. 
The importance of dose accuracy also lies in 𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴, as inter-animal variability (metabolism, strain, age) can affect drug absorption and clearance [2]. Guidelines provide dose conversion tables and species-specific volume recommendations [3]. 

𝗔𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗱𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗯 
During my time at a university hospital research unit, there was a story circulating that a few years earlier, 𝘒𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 — 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 — 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. As Ketamine is also a hallucinogenic and controlled substance, the rumor sparked discussions about access control and responsibility in research spaces. I remember wondering: Who could have taken it? A student, a postdoc, a professor, or perhaps a technician? 
It is a powerful reminder that chemical accountability and traceability are as vital as scientific accuracy. Every substance – especially controlled drugs – must be logged, double-checked, and securely stored, with clear documentation of usage [4].   

𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗧𝗶𝗽 
Always weigh each mouse before dosing and recalculate individually rather than relying on group averages. Record all weights, volumes, and concentrations. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘴 (e.g., ~200 µL for IP in adult mice). When diluting potent drugs, label all tubes clearly and prepare fresh aliquots whenever possible.   

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: What methods do you use to standardize drug dosing and minimize variability in your animal experiments?  

Stay tuned for 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟰𝟴: 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – 𝗜𝗩, 𝗜𝗣, 𝗦𝗖, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱   

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀: 
1. DOI:10.1007/978-1-4020-2271-5_6 
2. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-0105.177703 
3. Bookshelf ID: NBK54045 
4. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2010/63/oj/eng   

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