Dog/ Cat Necropsy

Price: $200.00

A necropsy is a postmortem examination of an animal to detect disease at a macroscopic level. Histologic (microscopic) evaluation is charged separately and is necessary in most cases to identify the cause of disease/death. The necropsy price is per animal. See histopathology information and fee here.

Additional charges apply for spinal cord removal, legal cases, and after-hours arrivals. See Special Instructions below for more information. Live animals are not accepted. Prepayment is required for all owner submissions.

For biosecurity purposes, remains cannot be directly returned to owners. Private cremation with ashes returned by mail is available at an additional cost of $300 through a third-party cremation service that WADDL utilizes, and must be requested at the time of cadaver submission. Payment is required before the body is released to the cremation service provider, and must occur within 3 business days of submission of the cadaver to the lab. If private cremation is not desired, general cadaver disposal is included at no additional charge. WADDL can provide a clay paw print for an additional charge of $40 if requested at the time of submission. Please indicate on the submission form or client portal if private cremation or a clay paw print is desired.

For necropsies, a gross report will typically be made available within two business days after the necropsy is performed. Histopathology reports are typically published within two weeks following the gross report. Depending on the complexity of the case and the type of additional testing needed it may take up to 3-5 weeks for all testing to be completed. 

Fresh, chilled (not frozen) cadaver (see below for more detail)

It is strongly recommended that all dog and cat necropsy submissions be made through your local veterinarian to ensure better continuity of care for companion animals. Your local veterinarian has an established patient-client-veterinarian relationship and will be able to help with interpretation of results. 

It is preferred that cadavers are submitted chilled (not frozen) as quickly as possible following the animal’s death, as diagnostic integrity deteriorates with prolonged postmortem interval. If delays longer than 3-4 days are anticipated, the carcass can be frozen. However, it should be noted that freezing of carcasses delays testing and negatively impacts diagnostic integrity. Cadavers mailed in for necropsy should utilize overnight mailing services.

1.       Primary leak-proof receptacle (such as a sealable Ziploc bag)

2.       Leak-proof secondary insulated packaging (such as a sturdy Styrofoam container)

3.       Sturdy external packaging (such as a cardboard box)
4.       Absorbent materials to be placed within the secondary packaging 

For mail-in submissions, the cadaver must be placed inside a primary sealed, leak-proof receptacle, with enough properly sealed ice packs to keep the cadaver chilled. The cadaver and ice packs should be placed in a secondary insulated box (such as a Styrofoam box), set in a third external cardboard box. Absorbent material should be placed between the primary and secondary packaging to prevent external leakage. Mail carriers will not deliver leaking containers.

Specimens should be clearly labeled and must be accompanied by a completed submission form or online web portal requisition confirmation, which should be placed in a sealed bag inside the secondary packaging.

Legal fee: A $300 surcharge will apply to necropsies performed on an animal in which there may be legal action pending or that could lead to litigation. This may include, but is not limited to, cases involving allegations of animal neglect, abuse, malicious poisonings, or cruelty.

Spinal cord evaluation: A $60 surcharge will apply to necropsies in which spinal cord evaluation is completed.

After hours drop-off fee: Pre-approval is required in order to submit a cadaver after hours. Please call WADDL for additional information. A $100 surcharge will apply when cadavers are accepted Monday-Friday between 5:00 pm and 8:00 am and after 12 pm Saturday on the weekends. 

Please provide a relevant, concise clinical history with the submission. This includes a description of the submitted animal (species, breed, age, etc) and any signs of illness. Please include vaccine status, environmental conditions or management changes, and number of affected animals. Entire medical records can be submitted as supplementary materials but should not replace a brief collective history on the submission documents.

Private cremation is available for an additional fee. If private cremation is desired following necropsy, it must be requested at the time of submission to the laboratory. Please indicate on the submission form or client portal if private cremation or a clay paw print is desired.