Thermal Injuries
7 Thermal Injuries Introduction Thermal injuries are caused by: • Direct (contact) heat such as a flame, hot surface (including electrocution burns) or hot liquid • Radiant heat, e.g. a…
GENERAL
Asphyxia and Drowning
9 Asphyxia and Drowning Introduction The term asphyxia covers a number of conditions that result in interference with uptake and utilisation of oxygen and elimination of carbon dioxide. Asphyxia can…
Bite Injuries
12 Bite Injuries Introduction There are two immediate issues to be addressed when examining an animal with possible bite injuries. The first is to decide whether the lesions are the…
Injuries Associated with Physical Agents
10 Injuries Associated with Physical Agents Hyperthermia/heat stroke Heat stroke is a result of exposure to a hot environment where the normal physiological mechanisms, used to maintain the core body…
Estimation of Time since Death
13 Estimation of Time since Death Introduction The ‘time since death’, or post-mortem interval, is the time that has elapsed between the death of an animal and the discovery of…
Sexual Abuse of Animals
14 Sexual Abuse of Animals Introduction For thousands of years, the use of animals for sexual purposes has been recorded in many societies around the world.1,2 Such activity has by…
Non-Accidental Injury
3 Non-Accidental Injury Introduction Synonyms: physical abuse; NAI; ‘battered pet syndrome’ Most injuries to animals are accidental and have no darker connotations. Nevertheless, many veterinarians are presented at some point…
Forensic Examination and Report Writing
4 Forensic Examination and Report Writing The locus In the context of forensic investigation, the ‘locus’ is the term used to describe the site or scene where the event occurred….
Introduction
1 Introduction ‘They [pathologists] form, of course, the supreme court of diagnosis’ (Dr Theodore Dalrymple, 20011) Forensic veterinary pathology is defined as the application of knowledge of veterinary pathology to…
