VI.

Necropsy Procedures: General considerations

A. Necropsy
• Autopsy
• Post-mortem examination
• A surgical procedure • Thorough examination
• To determine the cause and manner of death
or to evaluate any disease or injury

B. Importance of Necropsy
• Study the processes involved in disease situation
• Examination of diseased organs and tissues
• Uncover the cause of death
• Prevent and control animal diseases in herd or flock
• Treatment

C. Basic Necropsy Kit

• Protective Clothing (PPE)
• Rubber Gloves
• Rubber Boots or Plastic foot Protectors
• Mask
• Rubber Apron
• Coveralls
• Eye Goggles
• Necropsy Documentation
• Camera
• Field notebook
D. Basic Necropsy Kit Tools
• Sharp knife
• Scissors
• Forceps
• Axe or Hatchet
• Surgical Bone saw
• Small & Large Shears
• Chisel and Mallet
• Scalpels and razor blade
• Alcohol lamp or Gas burner
• Plastic ruler or Measuring tape
• Enterotome (bulb-ended blade)
• Opening of intestine
• Hagedorn needle
• Sailmaker’s needle
• Sewing up body after autopsy
• Rib Cutter
• Cleaver
• Toothed Forceps
• Teeth on pickups
• Grip heavy organs
• Hammer with hook
• Maxwell’s silver hammer
• To separate the calvarium from lower skull
• Breadknife
• Long Knife
• Solid organs into slices
• Sharpening Stone

E. Specimen Containers and Sampling Equipment

• Rigid plastic containers/bags/small vials/blood tubes
• Parafilm/sealing tape
• Aluminum foil
• Sterile syringes
• Microscope slides/Slide boxes
• Transport material
• Ice coolers
 • Leak-proof/break-proof containers
• Absorptive packing materials
• Sterile buffered glycerin (50%)
• Fixatives
• 10% buffered formalin
• 100% acetone
• 70% ethyl alcohol
• Disinfecting Materials
• Pail (bucket) & brush
• Disinfectant
• Borax
• Sodium hypoclorite (0.5%) (10% Chlorox)
• Microscope
• Centrifuge

F. Safety Precautions
• Personal Safety
• Necropsy of primate (monkey, apes, etc.)
• Carcass Handling and Disposal
• Minimize exposure of other wild & domestic animals
• Infectious diseases
• ANTHRAX (Bacillus anthracis)
• Preparing Sample Containers
• Containers/Tubes/Slides/Bags

G. Sample Preparation
• Paper label with animal identification
• Date/Geographic location
• Species/Sex/Age
• Tissue identification (Formalin fixed tissues)
• Person taking sample
• Animal ID
• Shipping of Samples
• Fresh and Frozen samples
• No leakage

H. External Examination at Necropsy

 • Identification of Animal
• Age of Animal • Body size
• Dentation
• Position of Animal at Postmortem
• Sitting posture
• Fully extended
• Struggled before death
• General condition of Carcass
• Well nourished
• Emaciated
• Stiffening (rigor mortis)
• Evidence of Postmortem (PM) changes
• Time of death
• PM changes
• Examination of Natural Orifices
• Nose/Mouth/Ears/Urethra/Vagina/Pre puce/Anus
• Color of Mucus Membrane
• Discharge from Orifices
• Watery/thick/frothy/blood mixed
• Smell of insecticides/chemicals
• Examine the visible Mucus Membrane
• Anaemic (pale)
• Jaundice (yellow)
• Eyes/Limbs/Bones Feet/Hoofs/Joints
• Fractures/Inflammatory lesions/Dislocation

I. Examination of Body Surface

• Skin/Hair coat/Hair loss
• Abscesses
• Wounds
• Parasites/Mycotic infections
• Diarrhea (hind quarters)
• Local Lymph nodes
• Throat oedema
• External Genitalia

G. Postmortem Certificate Writing

• Purpose
• Insurance claim
• Write off animal
• Veterolegal cases
• Record keeping
• For treatment of healthy animals