Postmortem Examination: Causes

of Sudden Death in Animals.

Collection and Dispatch of
Materials for Chemical Examination
• The veterolegal PM is done to ascertain the
cause of death
• Rules for PM Exam:
• Veterolegal PM exam should be undertaken
only after receiving inquest report
• Before conducting the PM exam carefully read
the inquest report on the situation and
description of the body
• Inquest report should mention the place
where the body was found and its surrounding
• Record the time and date of the arrival of the
carcass
• The PM exam should be thorough, complete
and done in day light
• All the details of the PM Exam observed by the
veterinary officer should be carefully noted in
the PM report on the spot
• All the relevant papers along with the inquest
form should be sent back to the police along
with the PM report.
 Procedure for PM examination
• External examination
• The identity of the body with identifying
characteristics – species, age, sex, tatoo marks
scars etc.
• General condition of the carcass whether it it
fresh, decomposed or mutilated should be
noted.
• Any external marks of violence or injury should
be noted
• Discharge from the natural orifices should be
observed
• External genitalia should be observed
• Bones should be examined for fracture and joints
for dislocation
• In case of decomposed animal, when the skin or
epidermis is peeled off, the underlying tissues
should be examined for any evidence of injury or
for any foreign body such as bullet, wire etc.
• In case of mutilated carcass, it is very
important to ascertain the species, sex and
ages of the animal and then cause of death
should be looked into.
• Observation depending upon the length of
time which have elapsed since death such as
temperature, presence or absence of rigor
mortis
Internal examination
• The carcass is generally placed in dorsal
recumbency, whereas, horse carcass is placed in
right side and ruminants on left side due to the
depth of the abdomen in horse and presence of
rumen on the left side in the ruminants
• A ventral mid-line incision that extends between
the mandibular symphysis to the pubis is made
• The skin from the abdomen, thorax and
cervical region is dorsally reflected to expose
the underlying tissue
• The muscle between the scapula and thorax is
transected
• The regional lymph nodes is located and
examined
Body cavities
• All viscera are examined and observed for correct
anatomic size and position.
• Any abnormal characteristics of the fluid present
in either abdomen or thorax is recorded
• Abdomen: to completely expose the abdominal
viscera, a ventral midline incision through the
abdominal wall from the xiphoid process to the
pubis is made
 Causes of sudden death
• Death is the cessation of normal body
functions (brain, heart and lungs).
• Sudden death may occur from unnatural
cases, violence or poison, or from natural
cases
• Unnatural deaths have always investigated by
the police
• Natural death if they have occurred suddenly
in apparently healthy animals and under
suspicious circumstances – veterolegal
investigation
• A veterinary practitioner should not certify the
cause of death without conducting PM exam,
even if there is strong evidence of disease
Causes of sudden death in single or group of
animals
• In single animal
Etiology Condition Species

Spontneous internal Cardiac tamponade -Cattle

haemorrhage Rupture aorta -Horse
Intestinal haemorrhage -Pig
syndrom

Petacute toxaemia -Rupture of stomach -Horse

Endogenous -Rupture of colon -Mare
-Rupture of abomasum -Cow

Exogenous Snake bite (poisonous) All species

Etiology Condition Species
Trauma Fighting, fall from height, All species
collision
Gastrointestinal conditions -Gastric rupture -Horse
-Bloat -Cattle

Iotrogenic death Rapid I/V infusion of Ca, -Cattle

procaine penicillin and
ivermectin -Horse
 In group of animals
Etiology condition Species
Lightning strike or -Thunder storm
electrocution -Short circuiting of electric
current
Deficiency Hypomagnesemia Cattle
Poisoning Cyanide or nitrate All species
Disease caused by -HS -Buffaloe
infectious agents -HS, BQ, Enterotoxaemia -Sheep
-Collitis -Horse
-Mulbery heart disease -Pig
-Collibacillosis -Calves
-
Anaphylaxis Vaccination is done in a Herd
herd
 Collection and Dispatch of materials
Suspected poison Required material in order of importance
Arsenic (acute) Liver, Kidney, Stomach contents
Arsenic (chronic) Hair, Liver and Kidney
alkaloids Liver, urine, brain, stomach contents
Copper Liver
Cyanide Stomach contents, liver, oxalated blood
Insecticides (chlorinated) Fat, liver, stomach contents
Insecticides (organophosphate) Whole blood, oxalated blood, stomach contents
Lead (acute) Kidney, liver, urine
Lead (chronic) Hair, liver, kidney, urine
 Suspected poison Required material
Mercury Liver, kidney, stomach contents, intestinal contents
Nitrate and nitrite Stomach contents, whole blood
Phosphorous Stomach contents, liver, oxalated blood
Phenol-cresol Liver, stomach contents, kidney
Rodenticides Stomach contents, liver, urine
Strychnine Stomach contents, liver, kidney, brain, urine
chloride Brain, liver, stomach contents, oxalated blood
 Collection of materials for chemical
exam
Collection of sample Tissues or fluid should be as fresh as
possible
In small animals Whole opened cadaver in case of dog, cat,
poulltry etc.
In large animals (tissue, bone, ingesta) 100 gms
Water 100 ml
Whole blood 15 ml
Hair 5 – 15 gms
Urine 50 ml
Feed 1 kg.
Preservation of samples
• 95% ethanol @ 1ml/gm of tissue
Procedure for dispatch
• Complete the report forms for pathological
specimens