Kadivars and Cats in A&P

SarasotaRN2b · Jun 18, 2005

I think, there will be little chance that any cadavers will be used especially in a community college because they are very expensive. Cats two are expensive and there is no guarantee. There are many virtual dissections that schools now do on computers.

Having two cats myself, I don't think I can do a dissection on them.

Kris

elizabells, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2005

My A&P class had two cadavers for the lab of 20 and we had cats in pairs of two. Maybe it's just because I love dissecting stuff to see how it works (I always took my toys apart when I was little) but I thought it was sweeeet. This might not be a particularly nice opinion, but it does help if you think of it as not being real. This is harder with the cats as they come whole and you usually have to skin them, but cadavers come with head and hands wrapped, as those are the most "human" parts of a body. Since whole cadavers are so expensive, a lot of schools now are buying separate parts, and bringing out a leg when it's time for legs, an arm when it's time for that, etc.

lady_jezebel · Jun 18, 2005

Who all had to work on human kadivar's (sp?) and 20lb cats in their A&P classes.
Exactly what was it you had to do with them? Did if freak you out?
I'm a little nervous about this whole concept, any tips on how not to let it bother you?
I know its something I will have to do and I WILL DO IT, but I think its going to take a little getting used to.
I have two 20lb cats at home:uhoh21: (and a 7 pounder, just an FYI)

I had to use the same cat each week -- it was stored in a bag in the school's biology fridge. We looked at all parts of the anatomy -- focusing on the muscles, bones, veins/arteries, organs, etc... each week had a new focus. After several weeks, our cats were severely deteriorated -- regardless, we were responsible for recognizing/naming the anatomy & were tested at the end of the cat dissection. The final test had fresh cut cats with pointers aimed at various anatomy -- we had to walk around the room & write down the name of the tissue/organ for each cat.

Luv2BAnurse · Jun 18, 2005

We used the cats in A&P. Four students per cat. I think my brain got semi numbed by the formaldehyde, so the cat itself didn't bother me as much as I had thought it would. Besides, one of the other students did the actual cutting. We didn't have to skin it, and no part of it was wrapped. At the end of class, we put the cats and trays in plastic and sealed them off, until the next class time... Once the end of that lab came, the instructor had all groups' cats with labels on the various parts, and that was our test. It's worse thinking about it than actually having to do it.

You'll be fine.

Peachy720 · Jun 18, 2005

am i completely weird for rather dissecting a cadaver?

Right now, I'm kind of having a war of ethics inside myself. I've ALWAYS been against dissection, and opted out of it. Now, I HAVE to dissect a cat for A&P [it originally was supposed to be the prof dissecting one cat and us looking at it, now he's trying to get the head to each let us have one cat, or maybe one per two]. I just know how bad I want nursing, but is it worth it to sacrifice my values? [by the way, i just want to make sure you guys i'm not knocking anyone who enjoys dissecting animals, i just know how important animals are to me].

When I was pre-med, I was in absolute HORROR about the dog labs..most med schools will get dogs from the pound, anesthetize them, and let the med students practice prodedures and some "dissection" on them so they can see what the living processes are like, and then euthanize the dogs after the lab.:uhoh21: :angryfire

But hey, at least the cadavers had a choice. JMHO.

edit: and, no, we don't get cadavers at my uni, unfortunately. A friend has offered to let me sit in on an autopsy though.:chuckle

kittiesareus · Jun 18, 2005

i went to a large technical college and In my class we did rats, cow eyeballs, sheep brain, and a fetal pig. I could and would not do a cat, I have five and they are my babies.

VeryPlainJane · Jun 18, 2005

We had a fetal pig and one day we got to "use" a "used" cadaver from the med. school .... Oh what joy that was! lol

SusanJean · Jun 18, 2005

We had 1 cat per 3 or 4 students in anatomy. I hated all of it (poor kitty). Our cat was the only large one - all the other students' were small - which told me they were not fully mature.

In Gross Anat. class we had human cadavars. 1 per 3 students. This was at the medical college. I found this class very interesting, fasinating...tho a little freaking when I would go in at 3am to study alone in a room full of cadavars and my brain was still asleep...but I got used to that.

Agree w/ previous poster about the humans making the choice to donate!

sj

gwenith, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2005

Crikey!! We never used real cadavers or animals here - most we ever got to dissect was cane toads. Actually it is about the only way to make sure the beggars are really dead:p

allnurses Guide · Jun 18, 2005

I attended a community college and we had two cadavers, one male and one female, for Anatomy. We got two new ones each year.

No cats, no dogs, no pigs . .. . I'd rather have human cadavers.

I too thought I would not be able to handle it - I had such a horror of dead bodies that in 8th grade I could not go to my step-dad's funeral.

But, our prof was great about treating the cadavers with respect and I ended up loving it.

steph

dettwiller5 · Jun 18, 2005

I had to disect a cat in A&P. We ad one cat to every 3 or 4 people. They were huge! One cat was pregnant and we were able to see the fuuly formed kittens in her womb. That was pretty neat. It helps to cover the cat's face while it is being disected. The smell from the fromaldihyde is pretty strong so I suggest wearing a mask or rubbing vick's vapo rub under your nose if it bothers you. I was a little uncomfortable with it at first but after a couple of weeks , I adjusted.