What is a "necropsy"?

• A. Determination of the cause of death
• B. Examination of an animal after its death
• C. Method of disposal of animal carcasses
• D. A fatal bacterial or viral infection

Answer: (B)

A necropsy is the postmortem examination of an animal to study disease processes and understand what happened to the animal after death. It involves a thorough external inspection followed by internal examination of the organs, often with tissue samples taken for histopathology or microbiology. This definition centers on the activity of examining the animal after death, which is why it fits best.

While one of the outcomes can be identifying the cause of death, the essence is the examination itself. It’s not about disposing of carcasses, nor is it a specific infection.