Basic Post Mortem Procedure

This is not suitable for children

 

The following illustrates the basic procedure for a postmortem examination of a pig. The procedure described assumes the veterinarian to be right handed.

Normally, however, in the pig it is also vital that the health of the herd (remaining pigs) is determined.  The production diseases/conditions to be noted are highlighted in red.
The hyperlinks take you to a video clip of the procedure – if you have problems downloading the video files please contact us for a training CD at [email protected]

 

 

It may be necessary to euthanase the pig prior to the postmortem examination.   See captive bolt

Select an area where the postmortem can take place where it is not too visible and biosecurity can be maintained. Above is not adequate.

Place the dead pig in lateral recumbency.  Note the sex, body condition and weight. Note any skin blood Swine Fever or jaw swelling Anthrax

Examine the anus and external genitalia for evidence of estrus or discharges

Examine the external surface of the pig for evidence of fighting and septicemia.  Note any skin lesions – Erysipelas. Note any distortions – Atrophic rhinitis

Note the presence of wax in the ear.  Take samples for Mange

Examine the eyes for dehydration and discharges Bowel Edema

Examine the legs and feet. Look for any indication of Foot and Mouth

Examine the mammary glands

Make deep incisions into the axilla on the left leg. Move to the left hind leg and cut into groin area exposing the femoral joint V1

Detail of the cut femoral joint.  Note in young animals the femoral head may separate along the epiphysis

Continue to the right hind leg and the right axilla. Lay the animal out as shown in dorsal recumbency.  Note the inguinal lymph nodes PMWS   V2 3 4 5

Make a deep transverse cut into the throat just cranial to the manubrium

V6

Stand on the left.  On the right hand chest make a cut along the line of the costocondral junction cartilages

V7

Continue the cut under the skin towards the groin area. Place the sharp edge under the skin V8

Return to the chest the cut though the right caudal costochondral junctions  V9

Carefully part the opened chest so that internal organs are not penetrated with the knife.  V10

Cut carefully into the peritoneal cavity. Do not puncture any of the abdominal organs

Lay the ventral body wall over to the left side to reveal the visceral contents

Return to the chest and cut through the front ribs (x).  Open up the chest by physical force breaking the ribs  V11  12

Cut up the lateral side of the throat to the incisive part of the lower jaw. V13

Continue the dissection through the hyoid bones and release the tongue

Note the condition of the tonsils

Pseudorabies/ Aujeszky’s

Gripping the tongue pull caudally and release from the carcase by cutting any dorsal attachments

Pull the contents of the chest caudally to the diaphragm

V14

Continue the cut until the lungs and heart is removed from the pleural cavity. Note any pleural adhesions

Carefully cut through the diaphragm and dorsal attachments of the stomach and liver V15

Remove the viscera to a place of further investigation

Examine the pleura and peritoneal cavity for adhesions

Examine the distal oesophagus. If there is no evidence of pathology separate the lung and heart from the stomach and liver

Examine the tongue and mouth check for Foot and Mouth

Examine the throat

Cut along the length of the esophagus

Open up the trachea, note the tracheal rings are incomplete

Continue the cut down the bronchi to the end of the diaphragmatic lobe of the lung

Remember to open the tracheal bronchus into the right apical/cranial lobe

Examine the heart. Examine the pericardial surface for pericarditis Glasser’s.  Examine the internal surfaces by opening up the right auricle, through the right AV valve.  Open the right ventricle along the interventricular septa.  Find the pulmonary artery and cut though the valve. Turn the heart over and repeat the same with the left. Examine the heart valves - Endocardiosis

Examine the lungs in detail.

The particular diseases to note are Mycoplasma pneumonia, Pleuropneumonia, Glasser’s, Pneumonic abscessation.

Trachobronchial lymph node

PMWS  PRRSv

 

 

Return to the abdominal viscera. Examine the gall bladder

Examine the liver- White spot

Examine the greater omentum and examine the spleen

Remove the stomach mid duodenum.  Open the great curvature. Gastric ulceration

Examine the small intestines with multiple incisions – note lymph nodes Salmonellosis

Examine the distal ileum, caecum and colon.  Ileitis, Swine Dysentery, Colitis

Return to the carcase.  Split the pelvis to allow removal of the urogenital tract and remaining rectum can be removed.

Remove the urogenital tract from the caudal end to the bladder. The from the kidneys to the bladder to retain the ureters intact

Layout the urogenital tract on a separate surface

Examine the kidneys, opening the pelvis from the lateral edge

Open the kidney to examine the pelvis and ureter -Pyelonephritis

Open and examine the bladder from the ventral surface taking care not to cut into the ureterovesical junction Cystitis

Remove and examine the rectum – Rectal stricture

Examine the genital tract noting phase of reproduction

The left picture is the female reproductive tract the right male  Brucella

Return to the carcase.  Examine and open the elbow and carpus joints of both front legs.  Open the stifle and hock joints of both hind legs. Arthritis

Examine lymph nodes and incise – superficial inguinal lymph node PMWS

Mandibular and parotid lymph node Tuberculosis

The popliteal lymph nodes

 

Note previous examined – trachobronchial and mesenteric

Section the snout at the level of the lateral commissure of the mouth.  Examine for evidence of Atrophic rhinitis

Incise the skin over the forehead and look for edema Bowel edema

 

 

Review your postmortem and ensure that any samples taken are properly marked.

 

 

 

Section or remove the brain and examine the cranial cavity