Forensic Death Investigations of Dog Bite Injuries in 31 Cats

Hsiou, Chia-Lin; Hsu, Chih‐Chin; Liao, Pei-Wen; Yang, Fuhua; Lee, Ann Nee; Huang, Wei-Hsiang

doi:10.3390/ani12182404

Cited by 4 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…Dog bites are common occurrences that can cause significant injury. The most common characteristics of dog bites include blunt force trauma due to their powerful jaw closure and teeth with rounded apices, a combination of tearing and compressive forces, lacerations or avulsions of the skin and deeper tissues and puncture wounds [ 9 - 10 ]. Puncture wounds may not be present in some cases due to the rounded apices of their teeth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Puncture wounds may not be present in some cases due to the rounded apices of their teeth. Furthermore, dog bites often have an "iceberg" feature, with relatively minor skin lesions concealing important lacerations and injuries of deeper tissues and organs [ 10 ]. The "hole-and-a-tear" effect is also often present in dog bites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the case of dog bites, it is common for injuries to occur in the head and neck regions of the victim, and children are particularly vulnerable. Children aged up to six are the most frequently affected by animal bites, of which dog bites are the most common [ 11 ], and puncture wounds are found in 83.9% of cases [ 10 ]. In addition, fatalities can occur, and research has revealed that different breeds can produce different types of bite marks [ 11 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, fatalities can occur, and research has revealed that different breeds can produce different types of bite marks [ 11 ]. The size of the victim and the reason for attacking the victim can affect the distribution of dog bite injuries [ 10 ]. The inter-canine distance can help differentiate dog bites from human bites, but there are also other useful bite features like the shape of dental arches, size of the lacerations, morphology, and dogs’ inter-canine width.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Complex Fatal Attack Due to a Pack of Maremma Sheepdogs: Is It Always an Accident?

Sacco,

Galassi,

Varotto

et al. 2024

Cureus

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Deaths due to dog attacks are a worldwide issue. Fatal dog attacks may occur in various environments, including the dog owner’s property. A lot of difficulties emerge when the attack involves a pack of dogs, of different species and sizes. In this case, it becomes much more difficult for forensic investigators to evaluate the event, especially regarding the identification of the dog or dogs that caused the death as well as the identification of the owner and the reconstruction of the dynamics for forensic purposes. In this paper, we analyze a specific case of an attack by a herd of Maremma sheepdogs. A crime scene investigation has been carried out. In the first phase of this case, the victim interacted with dogs that had non-aggressive attitudes. Then, after an escape attempt, she was assaulted by about 20 Maremma dogs of different sizes, leading to multiple injuries all over her body. The greatest difficulty was precisely that of reconstructing the dynamics due to the numerous injuries and dogs involved in the attack. The dynamics were divided into several stages following the analysis of the injuries found on the victim. This case study highlights how the forensic multidisciplinary approach has made it possible to precisely reconstruct the event. The analysis of the dogs' state of malnutrition and their suddenly aggressive attitude towards the victim revealed profiles of responsibility of the owner attributable to improper management and training of the animals to defend their property.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Complex Fatal Attack Due to a Pack of Maremma Sheepdogs: Is It Always an Accident?

Sacco,

Galassi,

Varotto

et al. 2024

Cureus

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“…The sequencing method established in this study for whole dog mtDNA might be applicable in forensic cases. Recently, in their study, Hsiou et al reported that the resequencing performed for dog mtDNA obtained from a bite wound proved valuable in identifying perpetrators in cat-killing cases [31]; however, they also admitted that the method requires improvement, since the target region was limited and only 100 bp in dog mitochondrial cytochrome b was examined [32]. In this respect, the method has the advantage of being able to resequence whole mtDNA, which is expected to improve the sensitivity and specificity factors of DNA testing.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishing a Sequencing Method for the Whole Mitochondrial DNA of Domestic Dogs

Sugasawa

Matsumoto²,

Fang

et al. 2023

Animals

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In human beings, whole mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing has been widely used in many research fields, including medicine, forensics, and genetics. With respect to the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), which is commonly recognized as being an additional member of the traditional human family structure, research studies on mtDNA should be developed to expand and improve our collective knowledge of dog medicine and welfare as it seems that there is still room for further development in these areas. Moreover, a simple and robust method for sequencing whole mtDNA that can be applied to various dog breeds has not yet been described in the literature. In the present study, we aim to establish such a method for the whole mtDNA sequencing of the domestic dog. In the experiments we conducted, oral mucosa DNA samples obtained from six Japanese domestic dogs were used as a template. We designed four primer pairs that could amplify approximately 5 kbp from each region of the mtDNA and validated several PCR conditions. Subsequently, the PCR amplicons were pooled and subjected to library preparation. The sequencing of the libraries was performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS), followed by bioinformatics analysis. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method can be used to perform highly accurate resequencing. We believe that this method may be useful for future research conducted to better understand dog medicine and welfare.

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Thanatognomonic substantiation of the forensic veterinary diagnosis in the death of dogs and cats due to haemodynamic disorders and hypoxaemia

Kazantsev,

Yatsenko

2024

Ukrainian journal of veterinary sciences

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At present, there are no legally consolidated, regulated procedures for conducting forensic veterinary examination of animal cadavers in Ukraine, which makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to objectively qualify forms of administrative and criminal offences within the framework of pre-trial investigations. Therefore, scientifically sound research results in the field of animal treatment are of particular relevance. The purpose of this study was to substantiate the cause-and-effect relationships in the genesis of violent death of animals caused by mechanical injuries, thermal trauma, and mechanical asphyxiation with the identification of thanatognomonic patterns according to a two-level system of evidence. Methods of comprehensive forensic veterinary examination of animal cadavers were employed, followed by logical and epistemological processing of the results. It was argued that the main links of thanatogenesis in the case of death of animals from these species are irreversible haemodynamic disorders and acute hypoxemia. Based on this approach, an estimate of the area of pathological damage to internal organs incompatible with life is proposed, followed by an “expert hypothesis” regarding the determining cause of the animal’s death. The morphological positions of the forensic veterinary diagnosis in the form of thanatognomonic positions inherent in a certain subspecies of violent animal death were distinguished by two levels of evidence and their criterion informativeness was proved. Patterns of rapid death of animals of the first level of evidence common to the fatal consequences of mechanical and thermal trauma and mechanical asphyxiation were established: “asphyxiated heart”, congestive venous hyperaemia of internal organs, Tardieu’s spots, alveolar emphysema of the lungs. Patterns of the second level of evidence were selectively randomised and their species specificity was presented. The circumstances under which animals suffer fatal mechanical and thermal injuries and asphyxiation were detailed, and the mechanisms of death were substantiated. The study focused on the specific features of argumentation in concluding the necessary direct causal link between the genesis of violent death and the cause of death. The findings obtained following the standard of evidentiality “study of the object of forensic veterinary examination at different morphological levels” are recommended for implementation in the practice of forensic veterinary examination of animal cadavers

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Forensic Death Investigations of Dog Bite Injuries in 31 Cats

Cited by 4 publications

References 26 publications

A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Complex Fatal Attack Due to a Pack of Maremma Sheepdogs: Is It Always an Accident?

A Multidisciplinary Approach to a Complex Fatal Attack Due to a Pack of Maremma Sheepdogs: Is It Always an Accident?

Establishing a Sequencing Method for the Whole Mitochondrial DNA of Domestic Dogs

Thanatognomonic substantiation of the forensic veterinary diagnosis in the death of dogs and cats due to haemodynamic disorders and hypoxaemia

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