WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTOS!!!! - Feline Necropsy with 4H Vet Science

How cool is it when you get an opportunity to do a necropsy with a vet??? Well we had no idea until tonight. So first you might ask, "What is a necropsy?" It is an autopsy done on an animal.

The 4H Vet Science group that B belongs to focuses on - vet science (duh). For tonight's meeting we had a local vet come with actual specimens (cats) and did a teaching necropsy with a small group of students.

WARNING!!! The below photos are graphic so you might need to skip them!!! Not rated for those with a queasy stomach. Go NO further if you don't actually want to see photos of the necropsy!!!

Case Study Details - this necropsy was being done a cat that had been euthanized earlier in the day. The cat had been brought into the clinic the day before with complaints of the owner that the cat wouldn't eat. This cat had been a patient at the clinic for 1 1/2 with persistent urinary troubles and the doctor and owner assumed it was a blocked bladder. After palpatating the bladder the doctor found that was not the case. The cat's temperature was 92 degrees (normal is 100.2-105), so he was extremely cold. The cat's blood sugar was 32 (normal is 78-120), so that was extremely low. After 24 hours of observation, IV and heating pad therapy there had been no change. The owners felt with the cat's advanced age and continual health problems that it was best to let him go. The doctor brought this specimen tonight to see if upon performing a necropsy she could determine the real cause of the illness.

Okay, now I've given you ample time to back out of viewing this post if you can't stand medically explicit photos. I'll start slow, but it won't be long before you are going to see some gross internal stuff!!

First the students had to stretch the cat. Since this cat had recently been put down (euthanized), there was not much rigor mortis. But in order to perform the necropsy the cat needs to be laid on its dorsal (back) side and stretched so the thorax and abdomen area are easily accessible.

That young, lady with the + on her shirt is the veterinarian, Dr. Michelle. Talk about WONDERFUL!!! Not only did she talk to the kids like they had a brain, but she was so encouraging to them and really wanted the to jump right in. She was not limiting at all, answered every one of their questions and really welcomed them asking and learning. We could not have asked for a better teaching experience. Although I did comment to the leader that Dr. Michelle looked like she was young enough to be my daughter :) (showing my signs of age I guess)
Abdomen incision made with a scalpel. What you see is just fat deposits that have been removed by one of the students.
This would be the small intentines (which look normal and healthy) and the bladder red ball in the lower part of the opening). The bladder is clearly inflamed, larger than normal, and Dr. Michelle suspects this to be part of the problem.
Mr. Michell stops to answer all kinds of excellent questions from the students!

One of the students has removed one of the kidneys and is working on cutting it open, like Dr. Michelle said, "cut it open like you would a bagel." Once the kidney was removed the doctor thought it looked normal size and color, but was very 'lumpy' and she suspected that all played a part in the problems that this cat (Simon) was having.
Cross section view of the kidney.
B makes a thorax cut from the abdominal incision.
B is listening about the heart and lungs, which the female student closest in this photo is actually working to remove some of the fatty issue from around the heart.
Normal, healthy, feline heart.

Once they were done discussing the lungs, Dr. Michelle asked how many lobes of liver did a cat have? A cat has 5 liver lobes.
Normal, healthy liver lobe.
Once the necropsy was completed the students had to suture the specimen back up. About a year ago these students were taught how to suture and they have been (supposedly) practicing on their suture boards. Dr. Michelle gave them a refresher course.
And then they began.
Final findings: Dr. Michelle concluded that based on the cat's past urinary/bladder problems and current symptoms that Simon probably had an advanced double kindey infection, which was brought on by the long history of urinary and bladder problems. There is no way to know, without blood tests if Simon could have ever fully recovered or the extent to the damage the infection was doing.

The family who donated Simon for our teaching workshop was glad that these future veterinarian students could get the benefit of learning from their cat. Simon will be creamated sometime this week and laid to rest. We are grateful to Simon, his family and Dr. Michelle for making this learning project possible!

Now really, how cool is that??!!!