Necropsy

Question 1

Necropsy Procedure

Answer 1

Postmortem examination on a non preserved animal

o Often practiced to help determine cause of death in animals dying for unknown reasons

Question 2

Standard equipment used

Answer 2

 Necropsy knife
 Sterile surgical instruments (scalpel, thumb forceps)
 Specimen collection containers (sterile bags, formalin jars)
 Bone shears

Question 3

Task sequence

Answer 3

1. Place animal in dorsal/left lateral/right lateral recumbency
2. Make midline skin incision from the lips to the pelvis
3. Reflect the skin from the underlying musculature
4. Cut ventral muscular attachment of limbs to splay them out
5. Cut open the abdomen
6. Cut open the thorax
7. Remove the internal organs

Question 4

Tissue specimens should be collected during necropsy procedure

Answer 4

 Specimens for culture– Follow aseptic technique
 Specimens for histology– Place in formalin, 1:10 ratio
 Specimens for toxicology– Choose appropriate ones

Question 5

Submission of collected specimens

Answer 5

 Cool tissues before shipping
 Postal Service regulations require a leak proof container for mailing
 Send by courier for delivery to diagnostic lab as soon as possible