If an animal suspected of rabies is killed, which part should be preserved for examination?

Preserving the head of an animal suspected of rabies is crucial because the virus that causes rabies primarily affects the central nervous system, and the brain is where the virus is most concentrated. In rabies examination, laboratory tests are typically performed on the brain tissue to confirm the presence of the rabies virus.

The other parts of the body do not hold the same level of significance for diagnosis. While the tail and legs might contain some biological information, they do not provide the critical data needed for rabies testing. The body as a whole, while it may seem that preserving it could be beneficial, does not allow for the direct examination of the specific tissue that is most informative for diagnosing rabies. Thus, the head must be preserved and sent for examination to accurately determine if rabies is present.