Forensics Flashcards
___________ is the application of vet med to answer questions of the interest to a court of law.
veterinary forensics
What 4 reasons support why vets get involved in forensics cases?
- we took an oath to protect animal health and welfare
- AVMA policy to report
- reporting is manditory in some states
- there is a link between human abuse/violence and animal cruelty (you could be catching the next serial killer)
________ is documentation fo every person who comes in contact with evidence.
chain of custody
_________ includes item numbers and descriptions to help keep organized information about evidence.
evidence log
What 3 things should be included in your medical record documentation?
- diagnostics (BW, xrays, etc.)
- treatments (meds, sx, sup care)
- conversations (you and client, you and officer)
what photographic views should you get in forensics cases?
- cranial
- caudal
- right and left lateral
- ventral
- dorsal
Take them 1. at a distance, 2. close up, and 3. close up with a ruler
Try to get them PRIOR to treatment if possible and take PROGRESS pictures.
Keep a photo log with descriptions of each picture.
During testimony, what statements should you AVOID saying?
“I believe”
“I guess”
“I think”
“suggestive of”
“_____ was the weapon used”
___________ is the biochemical or physiologial abnormality that resulted in death.
mechanism of death
__________ is the injury or disease the began sequence of events that LED to death.
cause of death
_________ is the circumstances surrounding the death (non-accidental, accidental, natural, etc.)
manner of death
___________ is any condition the animal has that could have contributed to death or injury.
contributory case
__________ is a formal protest raised in court during trial to disallow a witness’s statement
objection
________ is a judge agreeing to the objection and disallowing the question, testimony, or evidence.
sustained
__________ is a judge disagreeing with the objection and allowing the question, testimony, or evidence.
overruled.
What 4 things should be included in PHYSICAL evidence?
- environment – food, water, housing, medications, feces/urine, tethers, blood, vomit, carcasses
- the animal – BCS, behavior, wounds
- trace – hair, fibers, gunshot residue, fire debris, and accelerants
- entomology – maggots
why should you NOT put DNA samples into plastic bags for collection?
plastic deteriorates DNA
What is involved in the ‘external exam’ of an animal in a forensics case?
- estimate age
- scan for microschip or ID identifying marks
- full PE
- nails/hooves
- fur/skin
- presence or absence of injuries
- suspected sexual abuse
why are wound diagrams a great tool to use?
most of the time, actual photos will be denied. Wound diagrams can show location, extent, and type of wounds without actual photos.
what are common diagnostics run on animals in forensics cases?
- radiographs
- fecal eval
- bloodwork
- toxicology
- DNA if applicable
___________ is a form of animal abuse characterized by deprivation of any one of the 5 freedoms.
Neglect
5 freedoms are: free to express normal patterns of behavior, freedom from hunger/thirst, freedom from discomfort through shelter, freedom from fear, freedom from pain, injury, or disease.
In cases of starvation, what 5 things should you document upon your initial examination?
- weight
- BCS
- looseness of collar
- appetite
- dehydration status
T/F: estimating a timeline for starvation cases is difficult
true
as a general rule though, it takes about 1 month to lose 1-2 BCS scores.
If you are doing a postmortem eval, you can also look at serous atrophy of fat and bone marrow fat analysis (bc bone marrow is the last place fat is lost from).
What information can you deduct from a post-mortem exam in which the patient had loss of fat in bone marrow?
starvation has been going on for a LONG TIME.
what are typical necropsy findings in starvation cases?
pressure sores +/- ulceration
muscle atrophy
very low BCS
serous atrophy of fat (heart, liver, etc.)
may see FBs from where they were so hungry that they were willing to eat anything available
Which of the following is FALSE about hoarding situations?
A. they deny being unable to provide minimum care to a atypical # of animals
B. some pose as resuce groups/shelters
C. you must note live vs dead animals, presence of food/water/shelter, sanitation, presence of meds
D. hoarding is a result of lack of knowledge for how to care for animals
D. hoarding is a result of lack of knowledge for how to care for animals
not usually … hoarding is a result of psychological issues (depression, attachment disorders, others)
What is hyperthermia in dogs?
> 106 F
what are predisposing factors to hyperthermia in dogs?
- high humidity
- obesity
- brachycephalic
- lack of acclimation
- dehydration
- previous heatstroke
What is hyperthermia in cats?
> 103 F
they will be open mouth breathing, panting through nose, etc.
T/F: you cannot PROVE hyperthermia in most cases.
true there is no microscopic evidence that is specific to hyperthermia. There are non-specific signs like coagulation of muscle proteins, increased autolysis, DIC/hemorrhage, gastric ulceration, and cerebral edema.
unless you got the body temperature before death or recovery, hyperthermia is impossible to prove.
What is a great way to determine post-mortem bullet identification?
metal detection
T/F: the entrance wound of a bullet hole is larger than the exit
false – entrance is SMALLER than the exit wound
What are 2 possible findings associated with bullet wounds?
- vacuum effect (fur drags into wound)
- abrasion ring
what are 4 possible findings associated with close-range entrance wounds for bullets?
- cherry red muscles
- muzzle stamp
- stippling
- soot
Which of the following states is FALSE about richochet bullet wounds?
A. they have a circular entrance
B. they have wide abrasion rings
C. they are large and irregular
D. they are not usually through and through due to loss of velocity
A. they have a circular entrance
they have a varibale shape and are not usually circular at the entrance due to the tumbling nature
Which of the following statements is TRUE about gunshot EXIT wounds?
A. are smaller than entrance
B. have everted margins
C. appearance is unaffected by tumbling, flattening, and fragmentation of the bullet
D. have large abrasion ring
E. usually have GSR
B. have everted margins
they are larger than entrance wounds and more irregular. The appearance IS affected by tumbling, flattening, and fragmentation of the bullet. Abrasion rings and GSR typically are associated with entry wounds and are absent with the exit wounds
why is trajectory so important to determine in cases of gunshot wounds?
to understand from which direction the gunshot came from can really help determine the source of the shooting.
What are the 3 types of sharp force injuries?
- stab wounds
- incised wounds
- chop wounds
In stab wounds, which is greater – depth or length?
depth
in incised wounds, which is greater width or length?
length
what is a chop wound?
a combo of blunt and sharp force trauma
these wounds are typically created by heavy instruments with cutting edges (axes, hatchets, meat cleavers, etc.)
When describing weapons and the associated injuries in court, what phrase should you use?
“this wound is consistent with this type of weapon”
refrain from saying this wound is from this type of weapon
what is the most common weapon for stab injuries?
single-edged knife
which you can identify by seeing a blunted side and V-sharped margin in the wound.
what would wound margins look like if the person used a double edged weapon?
2 “v” shaped margins
If a person does a partial withdrawal during a stabbing and then stabs again, what pattern appears?
fish tail
how can you tell when a person stabbing an animal inserted the knife all the way?
you will see the squared end in the wound indicative of where the blade meets the knife handle
what 3 factors affect blunt force trauma injuries?
- amount of force
- type of object (force dissipated over larger area –> less injury – throw against wall vs hit with baseball bat)
- body region/tissue affected (thorax vs bone)
what are 5 types of blunt force injuries?
- bruises
- abrasions
- lacerations – tissue bridging, irregular borders
- avulsion/degloving injuries
- fractures
others: broken teeth, eye lesions, frayed nails
what are the 4 types of fractures you may see?
- transverse
- spiral
- oblique
- greenstick
With regard to callus formation, how many weeks post-injury do the following types of calluses take to form:
A. cartilaginous
B. boney
A. cartilaginous – 2-3 weeks
B. boney – 4-6 weeks
how long does it take for pulmonary contusions to appear?
48 hrs
Hemorrhage or bruising is not always apparent externally. What should you do to better visualize?
Reflect skin
What 4 microscopic features can help you determine the AGE of an injury?
- inflammatory cells – 3 hr
- hemosiderin – 3-6d
- granulation tissue – 3-6d
- scar formation/fibrosis – weeks
Motor vehicle accident injuries depend on what 3 factors:
- where the animal is hit
- speed of vehicle
- secondary impact
what internal injury is MOST commonly seen in motor vehicle accidents?
liver trauma
but pulmonary contusions also common too.
which fracture is MOST common in motor vehicle accidents?
pelvic fractures
T/F: rib fractures are common resulting from motor vehicle injury
false – uncommon
what are the 4 forms of asphyxiation?
- suffocation
- strangulation
- mechanical (postural, traumatic)
- drowning
why is asphyxiation hard to prove as a cause of death?
the common findings associated with this cause of death are non-specific. Such as petechial hemorrahges, visceral congestion, increased fluidity of blood, hypoxia, injuries associated with struggling.
What is the TRUE cause of death in asphyxiation cases?
cerebral hypoxia– compression of the arteries supplying the brain
takes longer to occur in animals than in humans
what are some GROSS findings associated with asphyxiation in animals?
- ligature marks
- petechial hemorrhages
- congestion of facial tissues
- cervical dislocations/fractures
- hyoid fractures (if hung)
- focal hemorrhages
how long does it take an animal to lose consiousness vs die during drowning?
lose conscious in 2-3 min
die within 5-10 min
T/F: there are NO pathognomonic findings for drownings
true – diagnosis is often made based on history
lungs are usually normal
why is it important to start post-mortem exam ASAP in drowning cases?
as soon as you remove the body from the water, the decomposition accelarates.
what is the cause of death in fire-related cases?
inhalation of smoke / smoke toxicity
what are common findings in fire-related deaths?
- smoke smell
- external, oral cavity, or airway burns
- soot
- mucosal erythema, ulceration, and hemorrhage
- cherry red skin or MM
- tissues become bright red in formalin
how can you tell the difference between splash/spray burns versus immersion burns?
splash/spray – most severe burn at initial contact site, then fluid cools as it flows down body
immersion – sharp demarcation between affected and non-affected areas.
T/F: there is no single toxicology screen, you must base your testing on symptoms
true
Anticoagulants are common toxins that affect Vitamin K dependent clotting factors. What findings would you expect in this type of toxicology case?
- hemorrhages
- liver neccrosis
- possible bait in stomach
- if alive, PT prolonged (d/t VII)
Ethylene glycol is a common toxin for outdoor cats due to its sweet taste. What clinical signs are associated with this toxin?
- Neuro signs – CNS depression (at first), PU/PD, calcium oxalate crystals develop
- cardioulmonary toxicity – increased RR and HR
- renal toxicity and failure (later on)
What is so characteristic/different about dog fighting injuries?
injuries appear on head/thoracic limbs/front of body as opposed to from behind.
they also usually have multiple injuries that are in different stages of healing
what are important things to examine in dog fight cases?
- teeth wearing
- drug testing
- signs of neglect
- xrays
- cheek swabs (CODIS)
- babesia gibsoni testing
