Vetnews September 2024 - Vitreous Humor Biochemical Analysis in Post-mortal Diagnostics of Ruminants

Introduction

Biochemistry analysis in the live animal is a widely used diagnostic procedure in ruminants. Having the ability to perform post-mortem biochemistry is an extremely useful tool in determining antemortem biochemical abnormalities and dysfunction, as this provides insight into the significance of the gross pathology, histopathology and ancillary laboratory analyses performed on post-mortal material, especially where gross post-mortem abnormalities are not reported or where a post-mortem is not performed. Comparison of post-mortal biochemistry to ante-mortal biochemistry on plasma/serum collected from live age-matched herd/flock mates (cohort testing) provides a very powerful herd/flock investigative mechanism.