Necropsy planning

[Kiki]

I will make sure to watch it. Is there anything i need to note/plan beforehand? Like tools i need?

Something sharp to cut with... that's all you really need.

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually do a brief necropsy, looking at the liver, the intestines, the oviduct, the gizzard, and crop. It would be good to look inside the gizzard at contents, and trachea for any yellow exudate (pus.) In some birds I have seen yellow fluid when the abdominal cavity is opened.

I have only used a sharp pair of scissors and a sharp knife to do a necropsy. Vets recommend wetting the feathers with soapy water, and removing them for a good visualization. Some people take pictures to post here, and some spread the organs on a white background for pictures.

 

[coach723]

Likewise, I generally only need a sharp knife or scalpel (I buy disposable scalpels as knife sharpening is not my forte) and some scissors or poultry scissors (like used in a kitchen), sometimes tweezers can be handy. Nitrile gloves and a phone or camera for pictures. Paper towels, I cover the table with newspaper or other paper and a plastic trash bag, everything goes in the bag after. Some causes of death/illness are fairly obvious. Some, like the effects of Marek's on the sciatic nerves, are harder to see unless you really know what normal looks like vs diseased.
Don't be hard on yourself. I cried (sobbed ) through my first necropsy, but really wanted to know what happened so that I would know what I could (or could not) do if I had another bird with similar symptoms. It honestly, truly gets better with time. You may never 'like' doing it, but the emotions are much less difficult as you get more experience with it. And the information that you glean can be really important sometimes, even if it's just to relieve doubts or give peace of mind. I'm thankful to each bird that teaches me something that may help others in the future.
You can always take pictures and ask questions here if you see something that you are not sure of.
Here are some printed resources:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I usually do a brief necropsy, looking at the liver, the intestines, the oviduct, the gizzard, and crop. It would be good to look inside the gizzard at contents, and trachea for any yellow exudate (pus.) In some birds I have seen yellow fluid when the abdominal cavity is opened.

I have only used a sharp pair of scissors and a sharp knife to do a necropsy. Vets recommend wetting the feathers with soapy water, and removing them for a good visualization. Some people take pictures to post here, and some spread the organs on a white background for pictures.

Likewise, I generally only need a sharp knife or scalpel (I buy disposable scalpels as knife sharpening is not my forte) and some scissors or poultry scissors (like used in a kitchen), sometimes tweezers can be handy. Nitrile gloves and a phone or camera for pictures. Paper towels, I cover the table with newspaper or other paper and a plastic trash bag, everything goes in the bag after. Some causes of death/illness are fairly obvious. Some, like the effects of Marek's on the sciatic nerves, are harder to see unless you really know what normal looks like vs diseased.
Don't be hard on yourself. I cried (sobbed ) through my first necropsy, but really wanted to know what happened so that I would know what I could (or could not) do if I had another bird with similar symptoms. It honestly, truly gets better with time. You may never 'like' doing it, but the emotions are much less difficult as you get more experience with it. And the information that you glean can be really important sometimes, even if it's just to relieve doubts or give peace of mind. I'm thankful to each bird that teaches me something that may help others in the future.
You can always take pictures and ask questions here if you see something that you are not sure of.
Here are some printed resources:

These 2 posts pretty much sum it up.

Watch the video, it can be helpful in identifying organs, etc.
The first time will be hard and it's o.k. to feel sad. It's also a valuable learning experience.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Thank you all so much, i will be preforming it tomorrow. I really do appreciate the advice and tips you all have given me, it means a lot as i quite literally know nothing about doing it.