Fetal Pigs Go Under the Knife

By: Kelly Torok, Staff writer

From March 23 to 27, FVHS biology students were given the chance to take on the role of surgeons as students were able to hands-on cut and observe the organs and body parts of fetal pigs in the annual biology pig dissection.

The students applied concepts they had learned, such as location of the respiratory and digestive system, to the pigs by cutting the appropriate organs and distinguishing the functions and parts.

The students had a total time of about three and a half hours of practical observation during the week. At the end of the unit, students were required to take a practicum applying both what they had learned in class and what they had observed in the dissection.

Biology teacher Mrs. Werdel says, “The dissections are a great way to understand the body systems. It is a good visual of the anatomy. The dissection also gives students a hands on activity that is fun and interesting at the same time.”

Past biology students used to dissect rats, but the rat dissection was outdated when the fetal pigs were introduced to the lab table.

Werdel says, “The rats were really messy. The kids would have to skin them to see the insides since the rats were so hairy; this took up a lot of time from the actual dissection and was not as effective as the fetal pigs.”

Deandra Van Houten (‘11) says, “I thought it [the dissection] smelled peculiar, but other than that it was phenomenal. It was a good experience, and now I know the body systems, all thanks to Ms. Foley.”

The science department hopes to have the dissections next year, but Werdel says, “I don\’t know about next year, it all depends on the budget.”