By Sally DeNotta DVM, PhD, DACVIM, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine
Post mortem examination is an important diagnostic procedure in equine practice, often providing invaluable insight to cases for which an antemortem diagnosis was not achieved. Unfortunately, the time required to perform necropsies coupled with owners’ occasional wariness of having the remains of their horses dissected often deters clinicians from performing necropsies in the field.
The described technique is an abbreviated method from the prosection routinely performed in diagnostic laboratories; suitable for examining the abdominal and thoracic cavities to evaluate the most common disorders. It can be performed reasonably quickly in the field and leaves the carcass relatively intact, making this an acceptable procedure for both clinician and horse owner.
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