From:
A. Abate/C. Kinsey
Date: 2001-05-20 11:48:00 UTC
Subject: Preservation for necropsy
I would like to respectfully disagree with Alica regarding preservation of
a body for necropsy. Refrigeration is absolutely essential if the necropsy
is to be delayed more than an hour. What you want to avoid is
decomposition, which sets in at the moment of death. Refrigeration
preserves and protects the tissues if the necropsy cannot be conducted
immediately (which is the ideal time, of course). What you do not want to
do is freeze the body if you are going to do a necropsy. That causes the
cells to explode (in a gentle sort of way) and destroys much of the
evidence useful in determining cause of death. In a nutshell: best necropsy
is immediately, next best is prompt necropsy of refrigerated body. No
freezing if doing necropsy.
My two bits worth,
Ferret Rescue, Colorado Springs