Post Mortem Medical Decisions

Unfortunately there are times when doctors cant answer all the questions about how or why something happened to a loved one. This applies in both human and veterinary medicine. As painful as it may be to discuss, sometimes answers can be discovered after an individual passes away. A post-mortem exam of an animal is called a necropsy. A necropsy entails a surgical explore of an animals body; this can involve the brain, chest and abdominal cavities, and all organs. This is a service that your veterinarian may perform herself/himself or recommend that a specialist (veterinary pathologist) do it. The purpose of this article to help people understand what a necropsy is, why it is performed, the emotions experienced, and the limitations of a necropsy. People in todays society often view their pets as their children. Because there is very little information in the veterinary literature on the experiences associated with necropsies, research performed in human medicine has helped us learn more about the experiences of parents that have consented to autopsies of their children. The decision to have necropsy performed is a personal one. There are many reasons to have a necropsy performed. The results can help assist in the diagnosis, provide closure to the family, and the lead to the continuation of medical knowledge. Despite ones reason for requesting a necropsy, its important to consider the emotional conflict that results from the results. Emotional responses range from very positive emotions to very negative emotions. Its important to know that either emotional response is a normal part of the grieving process. The most common emotions that people experience include acceptance, reassurance, guilt, and sadness. People have reported that the results of the necropsy have either helped them deal with their loss or added to their guilt. Despite the gamut of emotions that people experience, very few people regret the decision to have a post-mortem exam performed on a loved one. The limitations of a necropsy should be discussed prior to consenting to a necropsy. Unfortunately, a necropsy cant always answer all of our questions. In some cases, a necropsy can be performed and result in no diagnostic findings. Another thing to consider with a necropsy is your desired after care of the body. Some people prefer a home burial while others prefer cremation. After a full necropsy, the body can still be cremated and ashes can be returned to the owner. If you would still like the option of doing a home burial, there may be the option to request a cosmetic necropsy. A cosmetic necropsy would allow you to bury the body as you desire, but it does limit the amount of information gathered from the necropsy. Finally, the timing of a necropsy is very important. After an animal dies, the body is often stored a freezer to slow the decomposition process. Freezing destroys the cells and severely limits the information that can be recovered during a necropsy! Discussing a necropsy at the time of death will help ensure that we get the most information possible. Depending on your pets situation, your veterinarian or the veterinary pathologist may be able to help you weigh the benefits vs. the drawbacks of having a necropsy performed. There are a lot of emotional, financial, and personal decisions that need to considered prior to requesting a necropsy. Discussing your thoughts and feelings with your friends, family, and veterinarian will definitely help you make the best decision for you and your family.

Written By Brittany Mathes DVM

Works Cited

Ito, Takako et al. Importance of explanation before and after forensic autopsy to the bereaved family: lessons from a questionnaire study. Law, Ethics, and Medicine 36 (2010). p. 103-105. Jost, Kathleen and Joan Haase. At the Time of Death: Help for the Childs Parents. Childrens Health Care 18 no. 3 (1989). p. 146 - 152 Laing, Ian A. Clinical Spects of Neonatal Death and Autopsy. Seminares in Neonatology 9 (2004). p. 247-254 LeBlanc, Thomas W et al. Autopsy and Grief: A Case of Transformative Postmortem Examination. Journal of Palliative Medicine 15 No. 2 (2012). p. 251-253. Oppewal, Feike and Betty Meyboom-de Jong. Family Members experiences of Autopsy. Family Practice 18 No.3 (2001) 304308. Sullivan, Jane and Paul Monagle. Berreaved Parents Perceptions of the Autopsy Examination of Their Child. Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 127 (2011). p.e1013-e1020.

Written By Brittany Mathes DVM