Anatomical Pathology — Exam Review & Practice
Guide
Questions & Correct Answers • Necropsy, Post-Mortem Changes, Lesions & Zoonotic Disease Review
1. If a necropsy cannot be performed immediately after death or within 24 hours after death,
what should you do with the body to preserve it until one can be performed?
Correct Answer:
refrigerate the body
2. What PPE items which are required by all personnel performing necropsy examinations?
Correct Answer:
• lab coat or coveralls
• scrubs
• gloves
• eye protection
• rubber boots or plastic shoe covers
3. Which of the following items should never be removed from the necropsy examination
area?
Correct Answer:
necropsy tools and equipment including pens and pencils
4. Which of the following additional PPE items is required when performing necropsies on
non-human primates?
Correct Answer:
full face shield
5. Before you start any necropsy, you must perform which of the following tasks?
Correct Answer:
obtain the owner's written consent
6. What is a necropsy?
Correct Answer:
complete external and internal examination of the animal to determine cause of death
7. Other than to determine the cause of death, what other indications are there for performing
a necropsy?
,Correct Answer:
• determine if a risk exists to other animals or people due to the animal's death
• assess the effectiveness of a treatment such as a drug or medical device
• confirm the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis.
8. Identify a scenario in which performing a necropsy indoors at a clinical facility would be
most preferable and/or acceptable.
Correct Answer:
client's dog has been euthanized following acute kidney failure and ethylene glycol toxicity is suspected
9. If the necropsy cannot be performed immediately after death, but you will be able to perform
it within 24 hours following death, how should the animal's body be preserved until the
necropsy exam can be performed?
Correct Answer:
refrigeration
10. Which of the following additional PPE items is required when performing necropsies on
birds/avian species?
Correct Answer:
N95 respirator
11. Autolysis
Correct Answer:
• occurs as a cell's own enzymes break down the cells and surrounding tissues
• breakdown of tissue cohesion
• self-death
12. Putrefaction
Correct Answer:
• involves the work of both normal flora (inside) and foreign microorganisms (outside) breaking down tissues
• gas production, foul odor, color changes, and liquefaction
• external and internal microorganisms and fungi break down tissues
13. Livor Mortis
Correct Answer:
pooling of the blood in the down side due to gravity
14. Rigor Mortis
, Correct Answer:
contraction of the muscles after death resulting in rigidity in the body
15. Bloat and Emphysema
Correct Answer:
gas production in the GI tract and tissues of the body after death
16. Pseudomelanosis
Correct Answer:
blue-green discoloration of tissues secondary to H2S production of bacteria interacting with iron from lysed
RBCs
17. Frothy nasal discharge is most likely a post-mortem change when which of the following
presentations is noted at time of necropsy?
Correct Answer:
froth is only present in the distal 1/3 of the trachea and in very small amounts
18. Melanosis
Correct Answer:
changes found at necropsy that is considered to be an incidental finding and not a post-mortem change or
evidence of pathology
19. A post-mortem intussusception would have which of the following characteristics?
Correct Answer:
simple to correct
20. Changes such as gas production and bloat, green and black color changes, liquifaction of
organs, and foul odor are all associated with which process of decomposition?
Correct Answer:
putrefaction
21. Which of the following characteristics are present for a post-mortem blood clot formation?
Correct Answer:
• shiny appearance
• easily removed from the location where it was formed
• forms a perfect cast of the location where it formed
Guide
Questions & Correct Answers • Necropsy, Post-Mortem Changes, Lesions & Zoonotic Disease Review
1. If a necropsy cannot be performed immediately after death or within 24 hours after death,
what should you do with the body to preserve it until one can be performed?
Correct Answer:
refrigerate the body
2. What PPE items which are required by all personnel performing necropsy examinations?
Correct Answer:
• lab coat or coveralls
• scrubs
• gloves
• eye protection
• rubber boots or plastic shoe covers
3. Which of the following items should never be removed from the necropsy examination
area?
Correct Answer:
necropsy tools and equipment including pens and pencils
4. Which of the following additional PPE items is required when performing necropsies on
non-human primates?
Correct Answer:
full face shield
5. Before you start any necropsy, you must perform which of the following tasks?
Correct Answer:
obtain the owner's written consent
6. What is a necropsy?
Correct Answer:
complete external and internal examination of the animal to determine cause of death
7. Other than to determine the cause of death, what other indications are there for performing
a necropsy?
,Correct Answer:
• determine if a risk exists to other animals or people due to the animal's death
• assess the effectiveness of a treatment such as a drug or medical device
• confirm the accuracy of a clinical diagnosis.
8. Identify a scenario in which performing a necropsy indoors at a clinical facility would be
most preferable and/or acceptable.
Correct Answer:
client's dog has been euthanized following acute kidney failure and ethylene glycol toxicity is suspected
9. If the necropsy cannot be performed immediately after death, but you will be able to perform
it within 24 hours following death, how should the animal's body be preserved until the
necropsy exam can be performed?
Correct Answer:
refrigeration
10. Which of the following additional PPE items is required when performing necropsies on
birds/avian species?
Correct Answer:
N95 respirator
11. Autolysis
Correct Answer:
• occurs as a cell's own enzymes break down the cells and surrounding tissues
• breakdown of tissue cohesion
• self-death
12. Putrefaction
Correct Answer:
• involves the work of both normal flora (inside) and foreign microorganisms (outside) breaking down tissues
• gas production, foul odor, color changes, and liquefaction
• external and internal microorganisms and fungi break down tissues
13. Livor Mortis
Correct Answer:
pooling of the blood in the down side due to gravity
14. Rigor Mortis
, Correct Answer:
contraction of the muscles after death resulting in rigidity in the body
15. Bloat and Emphysema
Correct Answer:
gas production in the GI tract and tissues of the body after death
16. Pseudomelanosis
Correct Answer:
blue-green discoloration of tissues secondary to H2S production of bacteria interacting with iron from lysed
RBCs
17. Frothy nasal discharge is most likely a post-mortem change when which of the following
presentations is noted at time of necropsy?
Correct Answer:
froth is only present in the distal 1/3 of the trachea and in very small amounts
18. Melanosis
Correct Answer:
changes found at necropsy that is considered to be an incidental finding and not a post-mortem change or
evidence of pathology
19. A post-mortem intussusception would have which of the following characteristics?
Correct Answer:
simple to correct
20. Changes such as gas production and bloat, green and black color changes, liquifaction of
organs, and foul odor are all associated with which process of decomposition?
Correct Answer:
putrefaction
21. Which of the following characteristics are present for a post-mortem blood clot formation?
Correct Answer:
• shiny appearance
• easily removed from the location where it was formed
• forms a perfect cast of the location where it formed
