Equine
WVC 92nd Annual Conference
Equine Field Necropsy
Timo Prange, MS, DACVS
Clinical Associate Professor
North Carolina State University College Of Veterinary Medicine
Thomas Hartgrove, DVM
Veterinarian
Tom Hartgrove DVM APC
Performing a complete post-mortem examination in the field can be a daunting task for the equine practitioner. Systemic examination of the entire carcass comes with a variety of challenges that are not encountered when carrying out a “cosmetic” necropsy, during which only a certain anatomical structure, organ system or body cavity is assessed. Although a full field necropsy is a time-consuming and challenging task, it can be completed with minimal equipment and little assistance. Good preparation (site selection, setup and positioning of the carcass, sample container preparation), a well-structured dissection protocol and accurate documentation are critical for a successful post-mortem examination in the field.