Types of necropsy
Forensic necropsy / Legal veterinary
It is carried out by legal and forensic veterinary medicine specialists, who have medical-legal reasons to perform it. It is requested in court cases for any criminal suspect of criminal death, animal misbehaviour or death in which health responsibility is claimed. This type of necropsies cannot be rejected by those responsible for the animal.
Clinical necrospy
It is performed by veterinary pathologists and is usually requested by those veterinarians who supported the patient, with the authorization to carry it out by those responsible for the animal.
Generally, it is done to determine not only the cause of death, which in many cases is already known, but all the pathological processes that affected the individual, with study and research purpose.
This type of necropsy allows to:
- Determine the cause of death
- Detect possible clinical diagnostic errors
- Correct errors that are only seen through the necropsy
- Provide information on emerging diseases and those already known
- Clarifies medico-legal aspects of death
Cosmetic necropsy
It is a delicate gross necropsy to minimize incisions and retain the animal in as presentable condition as possible for burial while attempting to investigate cause of death and presence of disease, while cosmetic necropsy can often determine the cause of death with minimal invasiveness, but in some instances it does compromise diagnostic investigation and may preclude a definitive diagnosis.
