ABSTRACT
Post-mortem examination (PME) is a useful tool when investigating health and welfare issues in goats. The practitioner's skill as a pathologist may dictate their decision whether to undertake the PME themselves or refer to a specialist laboratory or pathology centre. A comprehensive history is essential before embarking on any PME, as this will have an influence on the approaches taken, particularly with regard to sampling. Anyone undertaking, assisting with or observing a PME should be aware of the health and safety implications. Many organisms are very labile, and may be destroyed by the pH change in tissue as it autolyses in transit to a laboratory. Samples should only be taken from goats that have not received any antiobiosis prior to death or euthanasia. Any tissue sampled must be fresh to be of any real value: autolysis and freezing/thawing of tissue renders it unsuitable.
