Kumar MSA. Ethically Sourced Animals for Teaching Veterinary Gross Anatomy. Paper presented at: Alternatives in the Mainstream: Innovations in Life Science Education and Training. 2nd InterNICHE Conference; 2005 May 12-15; Oslo, Norway


Abstract

Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM) depended primarily on donated retired greyhounds to teach gross anatomy few years ago. A donor program for procuring dogs and cats to meet the needs of anatomical instruction to the veterinary students was initiated 10 years ago at the TUSVM. This program spared the lives of the greyhounds, which are now adopted as pets. The client donation program was initiated mainly to satisfy the ethical objections of the students and faculty. Donated pets specifically donated by TUSVM clients for training veterinary vedical students are heparinised at the time of euthanasia, and successfully embalmed within 2-3 days. Embalming methods can be developed to embalm dogs and cats that have died from natural causes as well. We have also initiated a donor program for farm animals recently. Animals (alpacas and goats), which were found dead on the farm and donated to the TUSVM are successfully
embalmed and being used in the large animal gross anatomy courses. Visceral organs from these animals are plastinated for long-term teaching use. The TUSVM donor program has successfully met the needs for teaching gross anatomy and in addition, provided opportunities to integrate clinical perspectives and ethics beginning from the first year of the veterinary education without compromising the quality of instruction.