Begin with
the animal placed on it's left side; this places the rumen down making
it much easier to visualize the abdominal organs.
Carefully inspect the animal, look for any signs of trauma and note any
other obvious abnormalities (lesions). Look for blood from the nose, mouth,
rectum, or vulva. (This may or may not be significant. If the animal died
suddenly or unexpectedly, and there is blood from the nose, rectum and/or
vulva, contact your veterinarian. Do NOT perform a necropsy) It is also
important to examine all the feet, joints and mammary glands. If you are
performing a necropsy on a bull, be sure to examine the external genitalia.
