It's been a few months since Manop Guntanong lost his two-year-old pug Bulboo to a blood disease. As sad as it was, Manop and his family also faced a dilemma when the staff at Prasu Arthon Animal Hospital of Mahidol University -- a place Bulboo received treatment -- asked if they could have Bulboo's body as their ajarn yai. As with humans, ajarn yai (literally means "the headmaster") here refers to cadavers that are used for the anatomical study to further the knowledge of medical students or, in this case, veterinary students.
After some discussions, the family agreed to donate the body of their canine pal to the university's Faculty of Veterinary Science.
"I think it'll be beneficial to the students. I've been telling everyone that my dog is not an ordinary one. It has become ajarn yai!" said Manop. "Normally, we would've buried it as we did with the others. But this is a much better option."
Anatomy is a fundamental subject in medical study -- a necessity for students to expand their knowledge into pathology and surgery. The subject requires the use of cadavers to be dissected so that students can study internal organs, arteries and body structure.
"Ajarn yai's bodies help in laying the foundation students need to effectively help and save animals. If students only learn from pictures in slide shows and textbooks, they can't fully grasp the real structure of the animal body," said anatomy instructor Rachanchai Chawangwongsanukun from the Department of Preclinic and Applied Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Science at Mahidol University.
Due to size and availability, dog bodies are a popular choice for veterinary study in many parts of the world. But, they are often scarce as the idea of donating dead dogs to science is not such a well-known concept as its human counterpart.
"Only a few owners would suggest for a donation themselves after their dogs die," said Rachanchai, "Some owners have been regular donors through the years when their dogs passed away. And we also have people rejecting us as they'd prefer to bury their canine pal in the family's backyard."
Each year, the faculty receives 15-20 donations of canine bodies, though only about half of the amount can be used as ajarn yai. While there is no restriction on gender or breed, only dogs between the ages of two-10, weighing between 10-20kg are accepted. Also, they must not die from animal-to-human diseases like tuberculosis or rabies, or from accidents as it would damage the cadaver's internal organs.
"When we talk about ajarn yai, in the veterinary context, we're talking about cadavers we used for our anatomy class. But there are still other uses for the bodies that don't fit our criteria. They could be used in our pathology or surgery class instead," said Rachanchai.
It's also preferable for ajarn yai to come from bodies of dogs that passed away at the university's animal hospital as these dogs would already have a health record to ensure they didn't suffer from any transmittable diseases. Otherwise, it could be dangerous for people preparing the body.
Aside from dogs, bodies of animals that are accepted as a donation for academic purposes include cats, rabbits, snakes, horses and birds.
After the body is given to the team, it can be kept inside a freezing container at -20°C for months before beginning the body preservation process. If not, it has to undergo a formalin injection within the first 12 hours of death or the body would start to decay under the heat of Thai weather. Upon preservation, the body should be set aside for three to six months before usage in order to dissipate the overwhelming smell.
At Mahidol University, second-year veterinary students attend anatomy class and study the ajarn yai's body. The class consists of about 50 students, which are divided into 10 groups. This requires a minimum of 10 cadavers per year. The instructor said his students could always use more.
"If we don't have enough cadavers, then we lessen the criteria like increasing the cadavers' age range. Other manageable things include increasing the number of students per group. We try not to exceed six students per group or it'll be very difficult for them to study."
After dissection, cadavers are usually kept by the faculty for three years, after which they are cremated. The faculty holds a yearly merit-making ceremony and invites monks to bless the ashes. The ceremony is attended by students and owners of ajarn yai. The ashes are given back to owners upon their request.
It should be noted that criteria and process do vary between different institutions. While Mahidol University aims to get as "perfect" a cadaver as possible, the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Chiang Mai University is not as strict when it comes to donation criteria.
"We mostly accept all of the bodies given to us, and then screen and select the bodies to see which one is suitable for which classes," said Assoc Prof Dr Korakot Nganvongpanit, head of the Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health at Chiang Mai University.
Korakot said the department at CMU requires 25-35 bodies in good condition for about 120 veterinary students in both anatomy and surgery classes per year. Each year, the team prepares an average of 100 bodies for use in class.
"As the donation often comes incomplete, with damaged organs or wounds, we have to keep in stock more bodies than what we actually need," he said. "If we come across a body with a missing or abnormal organ, then we just bring in a new body for the students to use."
Other institutions that accept animals as ajarn yai include universities with a veterinary department like Chulalongkorn University and Kasetsart University.
Despite the advancement in technology that now allows 3D modelling of anatomical structure and various software to aid the students' learning process, Korakot views that practising and studying from actual cadavers is still very important. It would be impossible for himself as a veterinarian, and now for his students, to master the diagnosis and procedure necessary to save animals' lives without these ajarn yai.
"The use of substitute model or computer software cannot replace the real body," said Korakot.
For those holding Buddhist belief, donating ajarn yai's bodies is a way of making merit, with good karma coming back to both the owners and the pets themselves. Rachanchai also believes that getting students to learn from real animal bodies makes them see the value in the veterinary profession.
"These animals don't have to die in vain. Their death can hold a significant value, not just to owners, but also to the students who will become future veterinarians," he said.
Learning from a real body. Jiraporn Kuhakan
A dog skeleton showcase within the anatomy classroom. Jiraporn Kuhakan
Containers where the team keeps bodies of their ajarn yai. Jiraporn Kuhakan
