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Blood smear
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Blood smear explanation
2 smears. Let the smears dry, protecting them from
flies which will eat the blood off the slide. Label one
end with a pencil (date, species, animal ID) and wrap
them in paper with cellotape to prevent them from
breaking. One smear should be fixed in 70-100%
ethanol for cytology (with the pathology samples); the
other should be air dried and given to Prof. Jansen.
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For pathology (Research and Scientific Services,
National Zoological Gardens of South Africa).
If at any point during the post mortem,
any obvious abnormalities are seen, take
photographs of the abnormality.
Complete the specimen information sheet, listing
all relevant history, and a description of any
abnormalities you have seen. Use the following
terms in your description: location, number and
distribution, color, size, shape, consistency and
texture. For example: “The liver contains multiple
tan, firm nodules ranging from 1 to 3 cm in
diameter that are distributed throughout all liver
lobes. The nodules are gritty on cut surface.”
Sample these areas, making sure to sample at the
margin of the abnormality - include the abnormal
region and the adjacent normal tissue so that
your pathologist can orient the lesion.
Remember to handle tissues very gently, holding
them at the edge, and cutting them with a sharp
knife.
Make impression smears of organs by lightly
touching a glass slide to the surface (air dried)
Place tissues in formalin immediately. All tissues
for formalin-fixation should be no more than 1
cm thick in any dimension and tissue:formalin
ratio should be 1:10. Never freeze formalin fixed
tissues. All tissues collected can go in the same
formalin bottle. Use buffered formalin wherever
possible.
Formalin-fixed samples can be kept at cool room
temperature until shipped.
Ribs, liver, kidney spleen should be frozen for
microbial, nutritional and toxicology studies.
For DNA (Research and Scientific Services, National
Zoological Gardens of South Africa):
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Small samples (3-5mm dia) of blood and tissues
can be frozen in sterile containers
Blood can be air dried on blotting paper provided
for sampling, or preserved in absolute ethanol or
a salt saturated DMSO solution.
For Dr A Bastos (University of Pretoria):
• Small sections of heart, liver, lung, spleen,
muscle, kidney and pancreas – 100% ethanol in
Eppendorf tubes.
For Professor Jansen (TUT):
• The entire reproductive tracts (male and female)
– representative samples of the various portions
to be forwarded to Dr Lane for histology when
the reproductive tract has been studied.
• The entire gastro-intestinal tract - representative
samples of the various portions to be forwarded
to Dr Lane for histology when the digestive tract
has been studied.
NECROPSY PROCEDURE
Place the pangolin on its back.
• Examine the skin for wounds and note the
condition of the hair coat.
2017
September
7