Necropsy Rotation

Necropsy aka Autopsy in human medicine...

So, I am on my 2 week necropsy rotation and half-way through this weekend. I've seen practically every animal there is - cat, dog, horse, llama, goat, holstein calf, fox, black bear, bird, and rat (just need a reptile to round it out!). You might think that is all fine and interesting, but let me tell you that the SMELL IS HORRENDOUS! It's impossible to describe, one must actually experience it, but just let me say that a black bear, dead for over 24 hours, is a very ripe body! And, whilst this black bear was being cut apart next to me, I had to continue with my fox necropsy, periodically stepping closer to the dead horse on the other side of me because it actually smelled better. You know it's bad when you want to stick your head in a bucket of dead horse parts because it smells better than what you're currently smelling! So, alas, I do not see myself becoming a pathologist any time soon! Dead animals are just not my thing. I am amazed that people actually do this job all day, and even more amazed that people actually do this on human bodies - now that would completely undo me! I'll stick to live animal patients from here on out!