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.