Oorsig/Review
Abortion and Stillbirth Investigation
Maximizing the use of
the Fetus and Placenta
PART
FETUS DISSECTION AND
SAMPLE COLLECTION
03
Dr Rick Last - BVSc; M.Med.Vet (Pathology)
Specialist Veterinary Pathologist
Introduction
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Always follow the same routine of foetal
examination. Choose a routine that suits you
and your examination process can be in any
order, just if you do it in the same order each
and every time. This imprints the normal
and facilitates recognition of abnormal.
Open the carcass and perform an in-situ
examination (body cavity fluids, heart failure,
serous exudates, thymus size).
Collection of microbiology samples including
spleen smear (foetus and placenta).
Thyroid gland examination.
Internal organ examination.
Open the skull and examine the brain.
Collection of histopathology samples (foetus
and placenta) – include extra liver for mineral
analysis.
Figure 1: Clear translucent fluid in the body cavities indicates in
utero mortality < 48 hours previously or at abortion.
Scan to view video
http://bit.ly/2PuPV0v
In situ examination
Examine the opened fetus carefully for the
presence of free lying fluid in the various body
cavities. The appearance of the fluid can give a
good indication as to how recently in utero death
occurred (figure 1 and figure 2).
The presence of bloodstained fluid in the various
body cavities indicates in utero death at least 2 to
3 days prior.
Examine carefully for evidence of fetal heart
failure which includes hydrothorax, ascites,
hydropericardium, pale streaking of the myocard
4
Figure 2: Bloodstained fluid in the thoracic cavity.
and a cobblestoned appearance to the liver
(chronic cardiogenic hepatic congestion/cyanotic
induration). This pathology of fetal heart failure
is most frequently the consequence of underlying
micronutrient imbalances and a useful indicator
of possible feed related issues in the herd/flock.
The gross myocardial lesions of myocarditis,
myocardial
degeneration/necrosis
and
myocardial mineralization appear very similar
and are impossible to distinguish at the gross