46413 - Autopsy Techniques and Post Mortem Diagnosis

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to give the student the knowledge of necropsy techniques and methodology of sampling and investigation to establish the reason of animal's death. Moreover, this course is intended to stimulate student's skill of reasoning, in order to reach a critical interpretation.

Course contents

Definition, aims, importance and limits of the autopsy. Tanatology. Forensic veterinary medicine: medico-legal assessment.

Equipment. Cautions to take before, after and during the necropsy and relevant regulations. Dog, cat, swine, bovine, sheep and goat, equine, rabbit and rodents necropsies.

Anamnesis, external examination and preparation for evisceration. Incision of cutis, opening of the carcass and subcutis examination. Opening and examination of abdominal cavity, thoracic cavity, head, mouth and nasal cavity, neck and pelvis.

Examination of single organs. Post-mortem changes versus ante-mortem lesions. Epicrisis and autoptic report.

Specimens collection and sending to the laboratory for cytological, histopathological and ultrastructural examination, bacterial or virus isolation, toxicological analysis. Choice of specimens, selected sites for specimens collection. Collection and preservation of samples.

 

Readings/Bibliography

- Biavati S.: Tecnica delle autopsie e diagnostica cadaverica. C. Giraldi, Bologna, 1999. 

- Marcato P. S.: Patologia Sistematica Veterinaria. Il Sole 24 Ore-Edagricole, 2002. 

- De las Heras Guillamòn M., García de Jalón J.A.: Guida alla diagnosi necroscopica in patologia suina, vol.56. Iniziative Zooprofilattiche e Zootecniche - Brescia - 2004, http://www.fondiz.it/

- De las Heras M., García de Jalón J.A.: Guida alla diagnosi necroscopica in patologia del coniglio, vol.63. Iniziative Zooprofilattiche e Zootecniche - Brescia - 2006, http://www.fondiz.it/

- Petterino C. e coll., Manuale di Tecnica delle Autopsie e di Diagnostica Anatomo-Patologica Veterinaria . Editrice Estense-Giraldi, Bologna, 2003. 

- Taccini E., Rossi G., Gili C., Tecnica Autoptica e Diagnostica Cadaverica . Poletto Editore, Milano, 2006.

Assessment methods

Oral and practical exam.

Teaching tools

Video-projector, blackboards, PC, autopsy room, laboratories.

Links to further information

http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/ilm/proinfo/necropsy/notes/INDEX.HTML

Office hours

See the website of Gianfranco Militerno