# Autopsy is for humans what is it called for animals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470 "2010-01-11T03:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/1 "2010-01-11T03:28:54Z")
From what I have heard it is a necropsy (for animals) but I always wondered about DNA is it DNA when it relates to animals? Or it it a different word also relating to the animal? I watched the 60 minutes episode tonight and it made me think of this. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/2 "2010-01-11T03:30:12Z")
Yes, DNA is DNA for all animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and miscellaneous. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/3 "2010-01-11T11:02:50Z")
DNA is genetic material, deoxyribonucleic acid. Doesn’t matter if the thing that has it is human, non-human animal, plant, fungi, protozoa, bacteria, or virus. RNA is ribonucleic acid, and different types of RNA are used to convert what is encoded in the DNA into functional proteins. Again, doesn’t matter if the thing that has it is human, non-human animal, plant, fungi, protozoa, bacteria, or virus. Autopsies in animals are called necropsies, yes. Out of curiosity, what was the 60 minute episode about? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/4 "2010-01-11T14:04:21Z")
Some viruses have RNA as their primary genetic material, rather than DNA. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/5 "2010-01-11T15:44:26Z")
I’ve also heard vets use the term ‘post-mortem exam’ (which is also used for humans, as another phrase for autopsy). ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/6 "2010-01-11T22:36:43Z")
The word would be ‘slaughter’ or ‘butcher’ when referring to food animals. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/7 "2010-01-11T22:40:14Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > The word would be ‘slaughter’ or ‘butcher’ when referring to food animals. I disagree. Neither ‘slaughter’ nor ‘butcher’ imply an examination aimed at looking for pathology, which is what an autopsy is. Animals get autopsied, just like humans do. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/8 "2010-01-12T00:13:04Z")
Yes, but I’ve most often heard animal autopsies referred to as “necropsy”, at least by vets. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/9 "2010-01-12T00:21:11Z")
There is not a lot of difference if you look at DNA for various animals. The majority of it is the same. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/10 "2010-01-12T01:16:31Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Yes, but I’ve most often heard animal autopsies referred to as “necropsy”, at least by vets. I’ve heard of human autopsies called ‘necropsies’ by pathologists and medical examiners, too. ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/11 "2010-01-12T02:05:58Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > DNA is genetic material, deoxyribonucleic acid. Doesn’t matter if the thing that has it is human, non-human animal, plant, fungi, protozoa, bacteria, or virus. > > RNA is ribonucleic acid, and different types of RNA are used to convert what is encoded in the DNA into functional proteins. Again, doesn’t matter if the thing that has it is human, non-human animal, plant, fungi, protozoa, bacteria, or virus. > > Autopsies in animals are called necropsies, yes. > > Out of curiosity, what was the 60 minute episode about? Wow very interesting. Thank you and the 60 minutes episode can be seen [HERE](http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml) online, it was about preserving extinct animals with DNA from an that animal into a current species. It was very scary in my eyes but somewhat necessary. A example would be a wild almost extinct cat and they take the DNA and somehow insert it into a similar species like a house cat and viola. They talked a lot about the mammoth I think it’s called. But I think they are hedging on some dangerous territory, but definitely a little bit on the scary side. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/12 "2010-01-12T02:11:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Autopsy is for humans what is it called for animals? Barbecue, in the South. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/13 "2010-01-12T03:19:33Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’ve heard of human autopsies called ‘necropsies’ by pathologists and medical examiners, too. Interesting. 🙂 Because I’ve been drilled to use “necropsy” for animals and “autopsy” for humans. And while I know there is an “ayup, an animal gets slaughtered/butchered/barbecued” thing going on… It really is NOT like that, and like Qadgop says, veterinary pathologists are trained to look for pathologies, signs of disease, causes of death… Not giving you the best cut of tasty meat. It is a veterinary specialty, after all. And believe it or not, food animals ARE one of main clients for necropsies. That said, I do admit I get hungry sometimes when I do my necropsies. But I know better than to taste my patients. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/14 "2010-01-12T04:05:30Z")
What about “vivisection”? Does that apply to non-humans, too? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/15 "2010-01-12T05:36:42Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > What about “vivisection”? Does that apply to non-humans, too? You live in a world where vivisection applies to _humans_? (Well, yes, it used to. Unit 731 and all those unprosecuted war crimes.) ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/16 "2010-01-12T06:36:46Z")
Vivisection generally refers to procedures performed on living animals. See [M-W’s definition](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/VIVISECTION): > [@](#): > > the cutting of or operation on a living animal usually for physiological or pathological investigation; broadly : animal experimentation especially if considered to cause distress to the subject ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/17 "2010-01-12T08:29:33Z")
> [@horsetech](#): > > Vivisection generally refers to procedures performed on living animals. See [M-W’s definition](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/VIVISECTION): So, that would be called exploratory surgery in humans. ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/18 "2010-01-12T09:37:34Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > So, that would be called exploratory surgery in humans. Operation? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/19 "2010-01-12T12:58:00Z")
> [@Dandmb50](#): > > Operation? I get a mental image of a red cartoon nose lighting up, & the sound of a buzzer… ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470/20 "2010-01-12T18:00:59Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > So, that would be called exploratory surgery in humans. It’s called the same in animals. Vivisection appears to be an uncommon term. The few times I’ve encountered it has been more in terms of animal experiments. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/autopsy-is-for-humans-what-is-it-called-for-animals/524470.md?page=2)