Necropsy of PigsAssignment 1

VPP 601

Shaeneel Shahil Prasad2014120902Batch A

General Methods of Postmortem Examination

•Used to detect diseases, abnormalities, and contamination▫Sight▫Feel▫Smell▫Hearing

Necropsy Process•There are different necropsy process for the Nursery Pig(piglets) and the Grower/Finisher

•The processes are different due to the size of the pigs

Necropsy Process•Before starting with a necropsy, you must ensure that the remove equipment from the kit that is needed, so that unused equipment will not be contaminated

•It should be ensured that the knife that will be used should be sharp

Nursery Pig-Necropsy Procedure

•Cut through the axilla to partially separate the front limb from the rib cage

•Repeat for the other side

•After cutting through the axillae, the pig will lie upright on its back

•Hook the knife under the cranial sternum

•Cut through the cartilage of all the ribs on both sides

•Continue this cut to remove the skin with the sternum, and the ventral abdominal wall(belly) of the pig

•Most organs are visible now

•Cut between the ribs below the collar bone

•Spread and crack the ribs open

•Organs are easily examined

•Brain Swabs▫Cut through the skin and the muscle behind the ears at the base of the skull

•Flex the nose toward the floor and the ears down to open the space between the top vertebra and the skull

•This will allow room to cut between them

•Place a swab on the exposed spinal cord toward the brain

•This is an excellent way to test for strep▫Streptococcus infections

Grower/Finisher-Necropsy Procedure

•With the pig on its side, hold the lower front limb down with your foot while pulling on the upper front limb

•Use the knife to cut through the axilla to separate the leg from the rib cage

•The upper hind limb is cut and laid back likewise

•As you push the hind limb back, up and over the hip by cutting muscle in the area, the hip socket will become exposed

•Cut through socket and continue pushing the limb straight back over hip

•Cut between the skin and the body wall, beginning at the pelvis, along the midline all the way to the neck

•Continue the cut along the ventral midline towards the neck

•Following the cut just made, dissect the skin away from the body wall, reflecting it over the back

•Continuation of the last step•The abdominal wall and back muscles are being exposed, but abdomen is not open

•Carefully open the abdomen wall without cutting into intestines or urinary bladder

•Beginning near the pelvic floor working towards the head along the midline

•Reflect abdominal wall over the back

•Puncture the diaphragm near the caudal sternum

•Cut through cartilage of the sternum all the way to the neck

•Cut muscles between ribs in pairs

•Break ribs by pushing one or two at once over the back

•Organs are now exposed for examination

Reference• http://

www.newportlabs.com/sites/default/files/NL4798%20Swine%20Diagnostic%20Manual%204thEd.pdf

• http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/lab_info_services/downloads/NecropsyGuideline.pdf

• http://www.vdl.umn.edu/prod/groups/cvm/@pub/@cvm/@migrate/documents/asset/cvm_89795.pdf

• http://www.grupoasis.com/en/d/libros/p26710_guia_necropsia_porc_ingles_pvp.pdf

• http://www.ipic.iastate.edu/PorkBridge/PB0206PostTechniques.pdf

• http://gpvec.unl.edu/files/WesternU/Swine/NecropsySwinePresentation%20Karriker%20.ppt

The endThank you