Necropsy and Sample Collection in Rabbits

Necropsy is a scientific investigation that requires skill, experience, and extensive knowledge. Therefore, it is of great responsibility for those who perform it and from which a diagnosis must be obtained. In the generic sense of the term, it is an examination performed to determine the cause of death or, if it is known, its exact nature, the extent of the lesions, and other alterations that may be present in the corpse. It consists of the clinical history and corpse examination: external habitus, internal habitus, and complementary examinations. Therefore, it should be carried out systematically and thoroughly to extract as much information as possible from it. This chapter describes the rabbit necropsy technique, emphasizing its anatomical particularities, and presents some of the most common lesions in the postmortem exam.