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Position the specimen with its left side down, with the feet facing the examiner. Carefully examine the animal's exterior. Note the body openings for the presence of secretions/excretions, prolapse, and color of mucus membranes
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Examine the hair coat, and note for the presence of ectoparasites, areas of alopecia, thickening of the skin, crust formations, tumour masses, and possible wounds
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Penetrating wounds should be probed and the extent or depth noted. Palpate the continuity of bony structures and look for evidences of fractures and abnormal masses
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Work with the right side of the specimen. The first incision is a straight line from the chin towards the ventral midline of the neck. Make an incision beginning from the chin and expose the mandibles and masseter muscles
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Skin the neck and expose the underlying structures
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Continue skinning backward to the flank of the right forelimb
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Grasp and lift the right forelimb upward and cut all muscles between the subscapular area and the rib cage to free the limb
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While doing this, locate, slice and examine the prescapular and axillary lymph glands
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Examine the size and color and texture of the glands
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After cutting all attachments of the forelimb, reflect the limb to the dorsum of the specimen
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Hold the right hindlimb and cut the skin and underlying muscles of the hind flank
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Expose the rim of the hip joint
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With the aid of the tip of the knife, cut the round ligament to free the head of the femur and consequently the hindlimb
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While doing this, take note of the articular surfaces of the acetabulum and the femur
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Note also the amount, quality and quantity of the synovial fluid, and the appearance of the joint structures.
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Reflect the freed hindlimb to the dorsum of the specimen
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Continue skinning the ventral midline of the specimen from the incision made at the region of the rear flank and backward to the hind flank area
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Reflect the skin at the dorsum of the specimen
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While skinning the specimen, take note of the quality of the carcass in terms of the amount and appearance of the flesh
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Note for any discoloration, bruises and prior bleeding points.
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The next step is to open the buccal cavity
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To do this, cut deeply the submandibular muscles and underlying structures close to the inner rims of the mandible at both sides
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With the aid of an ordinary pruning shear or costotome, split the mandibles at its symphysis
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Alternatively, a hacksaw may be used to do this
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Grasp the tongue and pull it backward
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Cut all muscular attachments to free the tongue
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Severe the hyoid bones at the articulation of the great and the small corns
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Free the tongue by cutting all structures behind the tonsillar tissues
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Examine the palate, pharyngeal mucosa, and tonsillar tissues
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Drag the tongue backward and dissect the trachea and oesophagus cutting all attachments up to the thoracic inlet
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Leave the freed tongue, oesophagus and trachea still attached at the thoracic inlet
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The abdominal cavity is then opened
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Palpate the free edges of the last rib and make a shallow incision sufficient to cut the abdominal muscles and peritoneum at this region while not cutting deeper structures
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Lift the opening and continue cutting the abdominal wall from the dorsum and into the area of the xiphoid cartilage of the sternum
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Continue cutting the abdominal wall at its dorsal and caudal boundaries down to the inguinal region
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While this is done, note for the presence of ascitic fluid
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Save as much fluid as possible for measurement of volume
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Be careful not to cut the intestinal segments while doing this maneuver
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After exposing the abdominal organs, leave the omentum that covers the intestinal loops for a while to avoid drying of the exposed segments.
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Position the knife at the angle formed by sternal part of the diaphragm and the xiphoid cartilage of the sternum
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Cut the sternal part of the diaphragm and note the presence or absence of negative pressure within the thoracic cavity
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The presence of a negative pressure is suggested by the backward displacement of the diaphragm
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Continue cutting the costal part of the diaphragm close to the inner rims of the ribs
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The right side of the rib cage is then severed from its attachment to the sternum
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Cut the costo-chondral articulation from the last articulation and towards the first rib
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Be careful not to severe the tongue, trachea and oesophagus lying freely at this region
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Detach the wall of the rib cage by cutting the neck of the ribs and associated intercostal muscles to expose the thoracic organs
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The pelvic cavity is then opened
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This is done by sawing the ilium close to the rim of the acetabulum at both sides
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Then, saw the ischium from behind at both sides
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Remove the sawed portion of the pelvic bone by cutting all underlying attachments to expose the pelvic cavity and its contents
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