Need info on necropsies?!?

Question

I need some info on animal necropsies. I've been all over the web- wikipedia, answers.com, etc, and found hardly anything! I need suggestions for why a necropsy would be performed, how much they cost on average, disposal of the animal. Also, does anyoneknow if the "dog and cat food wheat gluten contamination" was confirmed by necropsies of the affected animals? Thanks!

Answer 1

I can tell you that for most pets...dogs and cats...necropsies are done pretty much when the owner desires one. If there was a question as to the conditon the pet had. Sometimes to prove a criminal case..like the shooting of an animal. They are not done very often in private vet practice. If done, they are usually about $50-80...more if tissue samples are sent out.
At Cornell...whcih I am close to, a necropsy is about $300 and includes the tissue samples. Disposal of the animal is determined by the owner. In vet prectice, usually cremation with or without ashes returned to owner. Same options apply at Cornell.
Clearly, a bigger animal, like a horse, would be more.

Answer 2

When it comes to pets they are really only done at the request of the owner, mainly if something "odd" happened and they wanted to know the reason behind the death. Most people however will not carry them out on their pets because they can be several hundred dollars.

Where you will see them done more often is in zoos or by the USDA, CDC, etc. That however is more of a required thing. It is also done as a learning tool since far more is known about domestic animals than exotics.

With disposal just about everything is cremated. Depending on the animal and facility some places will dispose of "pets" for free where others there are a charge. The charge will go up if you want to keep any remains. Most pets are cremated in large groups so if you want your pets ashes they have to burn it seperate, thus the cost goes up.

I do not know for sure about the gluten showing up in a test, but chances are it would. If the gluten didnt show up, chances are the effects of it would. Either way there would have been some type of clue if it was there or not.

Answer 3

usually performed 2 see why an animal died or for educational pruposes. depends who u have do a necropsy-talk 2 ur vet. they can do a necropsy for u

Answer 4

we did necropsies on coyotes in south eastern ohio, any one shot or found dead along the road, etc... we were gathering data on the health and age and other info. my gameanimals instructor was very into wolves and coyotes, so we studied them alot