Forensic veterinary pathology: Old dog learns a trick

ABSTRACT

Veterinary pathology specialists deal with a wide range of challenges in order to practice and provide useful results from analyzing deceased animals. The large number of species is certainly a first step that makes education in Veterinary Pathology so exciting. Knowing animal diseases is the basis of what we understand from comparative pathology and its contribution to public and environmental health. Recently a new search for veterinary pathology work is asked in situations that death of animals is linked to crime, or a crime scene investigation is taking place. Law Enforcement asks for Expert Witness Testimony to analyze cause of death of one, or even several animals that can be involved in a crime scene investigation. Different from a routine necropsy, forensic necropsies usually have medico-legal interest and this changes completely the scenario. For this purpose, postmortem examination requires additional and rigorous documentation of all steps taken from the crime scene, gross and microscopically detected lesions in the bodies and collected samples that will be analyzed in special laboratories. Criminal actions in which animals might be involved, either as a victim, a testimony or a perpetrator need a correct interpretation.