Veterinary Forensics Research Articles

Pathological Changes and Sodium Rhodizonate Test as Tools for Investigating Gunshot Wounds in Veterinary Forensic Pathology.

Gunshot wound morphology and gunshot residues (GSRs) evaluation have been poorly investigated in veterinary forensic pathology. The aims of the present study were to assess the gunshot wound morphology in animals and evaluate the detectability of lead deriving from GSRs using colorimetric techniques. To these aims, cadavers were divided into four different groups. Group A comprised eight animals who died from firearm-related injuries, while groups B and C included dog limbs shot using different shooting ranges; group D comprised dog limbs stabbed with a screwdriver. Morphological analysis was performed on all entry gunshot wounds. Lead residues were investigated using a Bullet Hole Testing Kit (BTK) and Rhodizonate Sodium histochemical staining (NaR-s). Gunshot wounds in group A showed an abrasion ring associated with hemorrhages and tissue necrosis. Groups B and C showed injuries related to the shooting range. NaR-s showed positive results in both animals that died from gunshot wounds and experimentally shot limbs. However, the number of positive cases and the pattern of lead distribution varied with the shooting range. Positive results by BTK were limited to close-contact shots in group B limbs. Our results suggest that both pathological examination and NaR tests represent valid tools for investigating gunshot wounds in veterinary pathology.

Macroscopic Differences of Pig Eye after Death: A Veterinary Forensic Study

The study of veterinary forensics is a field of science that is developing rapidly in the world of veterinary medicine. Veterinary forensics plays a crucial role in investigating and resolving cases involving animals, either as subjects or objects in incidents and ensuring the collection of all possible biological and physical evidence. Given the close relationship between humans and animals, numerous significant cases arise that are pertinent to veterinary forensics. The current research aimed to determine early post-mortem changes in pigs, providing insights into animal mortality in real-world scenarios. Observations were made on seven male Yorkshire pigs, aged 3 months old, with an average weight of 30.1 kg. Pigs were observed at four different post-mortem intervals, including 2,4,6, and 8 hours after death, with initial observations at the time of death serving as the control. Observations of changes in the eye sclera, eye lens, eyeball temperature, and eyeball pressure were carried out at each time interval. Results at the 2nd and 4th hours post-mortem showed no macroscopic changes in the eye sclera and eye lens, but there were changes in eye pressure. By the 6th and 8th hours, changes in the sclera and eye lens showed desiccation in the area of the sclera and the eye lens, which became increasingly cloudy. The eyeball temperature measurement values from the 2nd to 8th hour of the study revealed a significant decrease in eyeball pressure. The results of this study indicated observable changes in the eyes can be used as a basic alternative method for calculating the introductory post-mortem interval in animals in the future. There was a significant decrease in eyeball temperature, and eyeball compactness, as significant differences in the eye sclera, and eye lens at 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours post-mortem, compared to the time of death. These variables offer crucial insights into early post-mortem changes in pigs, using the eyes as the primary focus of observation.

Morphometric studies of the skin of calfs

Relevance. Previously, we conducted comparative morphometric studies of skin samples from different topographic sites in adult cows obtained in winter. At the same time, morphological features of the skin of different topographic areas were established. In this paper, the purpose of our study was to conduct comparative morphometric studies of the skin of different topographic areas in calves.Methods. Morphometric studies of histological preparations were carried out at the Department of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Veterinary Medicine and at the Department of Biology, Ecology and Histology. Morphometric studies of histological preparations were used to study the thickness of the dermis proper, as well as bundles of collagen fibers of the mesh layer of the dermis. The research results were statistically processed using the "Biostat" program.Results. Morphological features of the skin of different topographic areas in calves have been established, manifested by different thicknesses of skin layers and bundles of collagen fibers of the dermis. The morphometry performed made it possible to supplement the data on the morphological structure of the skin of cattle and can also be used in the study of morpho- and pathogenesis of skin diseases.

Veterinary forensics conference.

Veterinary forensics conference.

Informativeness of postmortem dynamics of skeletal muscles of dog and cat corpses for forensic veterinary diagnosis of death due to acute hypoxia

The relevance of the study is conditioned by the need in the practice of forensic veterinary expertise to establish the statute of limitations for the occurrence of death of dogs and cats during the investigation of crimes against animal health and life. In this regard, the purpose of the study is to solve diagnostic forensic veterinary problems regarding the informative value of postmortem disorganisation of skeletal neck muscles of dog and cat corpses within 72 hours after the death of animals. The main methods of investigating the diagnostic information content of postmortem dynamics of skeletal muscles of dog and cat corpses for forensic veterinary determination of the conditions and prescription of death due to acute hypoxia are those that can be comprehensively considered the identified problem, in particular, Papenheim-Kryukov staining of smears, slides – hematoxylin and eosin, fluorescein isothiocyanate, and Shabadash staining. The forensic veterinary diagnostic significance of two expert criteria is justified: “the number of patterns of disorganisation of the neck muscles of dog and cat corpses” and “glycogen content in the neck muscles of dog and cat corpses”. It is proved that biotransformation of skeletal muscles occurs in the following sequence: during the first 24 hours after the death of the animal, postmortem stiffness of the muscles of corpses occurs, accompanied by dehydration, compaction, contraction of myofibrils; muscle relaxation is observed from 24 to 48 hours after death, myofibrils are stretched and swollen; from 48 to 72 hours, autolysis of muscles is recorded under the influence of saprotrophs. It was found that the destruction of skeletal muscle tissue is more intense in the case of death due to suffocation compared to death from poisoning, and the destruction of muscle tissue is more dynamic in the case of death due to freezing compared to death caused by drowning in cold water. For the first time, the results obtained will contribute to solving diagnostic forensic veterinary tasks, in particular, establishing the statute of limitations and conditions for the occurrence of death of dogs and cats during the investigation by law enforcement agencies of crimes related to animal cruelty

Forensic Veterinary Medicine Methods for Determining Defects in Veterinary Care

This research paper purpose is to develop forensic veterinary medicine to determine defects in veterinary care. General and special scientific methods were used to achieve the goal. The author’s methods of forensic veterinary medicine of defects in veterinary care carried out in five stages: familiarization and training one, managerial and informational ones, research and analytical ones, generalization and evaluation ones and final one. It has been proven that the forensic veterinary examination should determine the defect existence and provide conclusion on availability or lack of a cause-effect relation between the lack of veterinary care and a negative consequence for the animal and the main cause of such a consequence. Attention is focused on the fact that the forensic veterinary commission should assess timeliness, volume and validity of performed diagnostic and medical and tactical veterinary measures, correctness of surgical interventions or veterinary manipulations and their compliance with current regulatory documents. It is substantiated that the proposed author’s methods unify approaches to forensic research, minimizes subjectivity of forensic assessment of actions of veterinarians; expands the cognitive capabilities of pre-trial investigation bodies and the court; contributes to improvement of criminal and administrative legislation of Ukraine in terms of legal responsibility of veterinary workers for professional offenses. The key issues arising due to improper performance of professional duties by veterinarians are highlighted and ways to their solving are proposed.

Determination of postmortem interval (PMI) using histological changes in the cattle skin – A preliminary investigation

The estimation of the Postmortem interval (PMI) holds significant importance in forensic medicine, prompting continuous efforts to establish standardized methods for accuracy. Surprisingly, in the field of veterinary science, there remains a noticeable dearth of research dedicated to estimating the Postmortem interval. Addressing this research gap would undoubtedly enhance our understanding and expertise in veterinary forensics. Currently, there is no existing research on estimating the postmortem interval using histological changes in animal skin. This study involved collecting skin samples from the metatarsal region of 25 cattle carcasses at various postmortem intervals (0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h) in Puducherry, India. The skin samples were processed using routine histological techniques and special staining methods, such as modified Alcian-Periodic Acid Schiff's (Alcian-PAS) staining and Masson Trichrome (MST), to further analyze the histological changes. Histological changes in the skin showed a normal appearance of the epidermis up to 4 h after death, followed by vacuolations and extensive degeneration leading to complete disintegration. In the dermis, rarefaction and collagenolysis were observed at 8 h post-death, progressing to complete fragmentation at 24 h post-death. The sebaceous glands remained normal until 24 h post-death, then showed autolytic changes resulting in complete disintegration at 48 h post-death. The sweat gland remained normal until 24 h post-death, after which degenerative changes were evident. After death, the hair follicles looked normal up to 8 h, but after that, changes like vacuoles and degeneration were observed. The study scored the skin based on these changes, finding that the dermis showed the strongest correlation with the postmortem interval (PMI), followed by the hair follicle and epidermis. Overall, histological variations in the skin are a reliable indicator for estimating the PMI in cattle carcasses.

Morphometrical and Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Kidney as an Indirect Parameter to Estimate Age in Puppies in Veterinary Forensic Pathology.

Estimation of age represents a central focus in the veterinary forensic pathology field. Currently, the visual examination of the dentition and the skeletal age are the main methods to estimate the age of puppies. Nevertheless, these methods are affected by a broad range of variables. In contrast, the kidney is characterized by a specific postnatal development. In human glomerulogenesis, fetal mesangial cells change their immunohistochemical phenotypes with maturation. Therefore, we hypothesized that histological and immunohistochemical examinations of the kidney can be used together as an indirect parameter for age determination in puppies' cadavers. Forty-five puppies' cadavers were divided into five groups defined by age (Group A= 0-15 days, Group B = 16-45 days, Group C = 46-85 days, Group D = 86-105 days, Group E= 105-365 days). For each case, kidney samples were collected and processed for histopathological (for morphometrical study of the glomerulus) and immunohistochemical (for the immunolocalization of the α-SMA protein) studies. Morphometrical study allowed us to observe statistical differences in the mean glomerulus numbers per field among assessed groups. Similarly, immunohistochemical examination showed differences in SMA expression among groups. Our findings suggest a potential use of kidney morphometrical and immunohistochemical examinations together as an indirect parameter to assess the age of illegally imported puppies.

Epistemological Characteristic and Procedural Significance of Steps and Stages of Appointing and Conducting Forensic Veterinary Examination

The Research Purpose is to single out epistemological characteristics of steps of appointing and conducting forensic veterinary examination and to reveal their procedural significance for pre-trial investigation and trial of cases concerning animals. It has been proven that these steps differ by subject, purpose, methods and include their own components: 1) preparation of materials and appointment of forensic veterinary examination (adopting a decision on forensic examination appointment; singling out forensic examination subject; defining forensic examination category according to procedural features; order of its performance, choosing time for its conduct; preparing source information; obtaining objects for subsequent research; selection of conducting subject; issuance of a procedural document on forensic examination appointment and the accused’s (suspect, defendant) familiarization with its content; determining expediency of the participants’ presence in the process while forensic examination; sending the procedural document on forensic examination appointment and research objects to the conducting subject; interaction between subjects involved in appointment and conduct of forensic examination); 2) carrying out research by a forensic expert using specific veterinary expertise; 3) research, evaluation and verification of the expert conclusion (seeking clarifications from a forensic expert or interrogating him/her in court; appointment of additional examination or re-examination (if needed); acquainting the parties with the expert conclusion). The research methodological basis is the systematic approach (general scientific and special scientific methods).

Theoretical justification and praxeological significance of the stages of expert research of a living animal

The relevance of this study is determined by the need to develop the theoretical foundations of forensic veterinary medicine as a science and educational discipline, namely, to justify, test and put into practice the methods, means, and methodology of expert research of specific objects. The purpose of this study was to argue the meaning and outline the functions of each of the stages of expert examination of live animals in forensic veterinary examination. The methodological framework of this study included a systematic approach determined by the specific features of the subject under study and associated with the use of general scientific and special scientific methods, including analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy, formal-logical, comparative-legal, system-structural methods, modelling, observation, description, analysis of the practice of forensic veterinary examination, special methods, the functions of which are performed by methods of intravital clinical forensic veterinary diagnostics of animals. Based on the conducted research and generalization of the practice of forensic veterinary examination of live animals, it is argued in the work that this process consists of four stages: preparatory, analytical, comparative and synthesis stage. The separation of certain stages was substantiated, due to the diverse nature of the tasks that the forensic expert solves, the application of algorithms and methods of forensic examination of animals of different complexity, and the involvement of various technical techniques and equipment at each particular stage. The study proved that the sequence of applying the stages of the forensic veterinary examination of a live animal contributes to the correct assessment of the detected signs of injury or health disorder of the animal based on their comprehensive assessment, is designed to solve intermediate expert tasks, trace the process of conducting the examination and evaluate the obtained results for the justified establishment of a forensic veterinary diagnosis and formation of an expert’s opinion. It was proved that the rules (methodical recommendations) of the forensic veterinary determination of the degree of severity of damage caused to the animal’s health, the method of forensic veterinary examination of animals to establish their mutilation, and the method of forensic veterinary examination of animal corpses are the basis of the conducted research. The theoretical substantiation of the stages of the expert examination of a live animal and the coverage of their praxeological significance will be positively reflected in the conduct of a forensic veterinary examination and compilation of the results of forensic veterinary examinations.

Evaluation of Muscle Proteins for Estimating the Post-Mortem Interval in Veterinary Forensic Pathology.

Postmortem cadaveric changes are commonly used to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) in humans and animals. However, these modifications have been poorly investigated in animals of interest to veterinary forensic pathology. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of muscle proteins (desmin and dystrophin) as biomarkers for estimating the PMI in dogs. For this study, 10 dead adult dogs were evaluated for 4 days in a temperature-controlled room at 19 ± 1 °C. For each animal, at 3, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after death, a 1 × 1 × 1 cm cube of muscle tissue was removed from the vastus lateralis and triceps brachii. Protein expression levels were analyzed by immunohistochemical examination and immunoblot analysis. The obtained results showed rapid dystrophin degradation, with complete disappearance at 72 h after death. In contrast, desmin-positive fibers and desmin protein bands detected by immunoblot were observed on all 4 days of observation. Our findings suggest the potential use of muscle proteins as biomarkers for estimating the PMI in dogs.

Role of autopsy imaging in veterinary forensic medicine: experiences in 39 cases.

While numerous scientific studies have suggested the usefulness of autopsy imaging (Ai) in the field of human forensic medicine, the use of imaging modalities for the purpose of veterinary forensics is currently scant. The current study performed Ai on suspicious dead animals requested by the police department to determine their cause of death. Radiography and/or computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging were performed on 39 suspicious dead animals before necropsy. After diagnostic imaging, pathological examination was performed, with drug testing added as needed. Among the 39 cases, 28, 6, 3, 1, and 1 involved cats, dogs, rabbits, a ferret, and a pigeon, respectively. The major Ai findings included skull and rib fractures, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, diaphragmatic hernia, and abdominal rupture. The leading causes of death, determined comprehensively via Ai and pathological reports and drug test results, included traumatic impact, blood loss, poisoning, suffocation, tension pneumothorax, starvation, and drowning, all of which have been strongly suspected to indicate animal abuse by humans. All eight cases of skull fractures and all five cases of poisoning, including suspected poisoning, were of cats. As the numbers of dogs and cats in Japan are almost equal, violence against cats may occur more frequently than dogs. Ai can be a valuable examination tool for veterinary forensic cases. As computed tomography is useful for ruling out fractures that screening computed tomography before necropsy is a more practical option for veterinary forensics.

Calliphoridae Family (Insecta: Diptera) of Importance in Forensic Entomology, Larval Therapy, Medical, Veterinary and Vector of Pathogens

Adults of the Calliphoridae family are attracted to the odor generated by the wounds of all types of vertebrates, but they can also be found in flowers and foliage. Eggs are laid in substrates such as feces, carrion, necrotic tissue or healthy open-wounded tissue from which there the larvae develop. Adults primarily feed on exudates from previous substrates. The objective of this work is to investigate the biology, ecology, habitat, geographic distribution, taxonomy, life cycle, phenology, biological control, and work done on the Calliphoridae family (Insecta: Calliphoridae). A literature search involving articles published between 1950 and 2022 was conducted in order to carry out research related to quantitative, taxonomic, and conceptual aspects. A mini-review was prepared in Goiânia, Goiás, between September and October 2021, by means of the Biological Abstracts, Periodicals CAPE S and Scielo.

The Role of Forensic Veterinary Toxicology in Pet Custody Cases.

Forensic veterinary toxicology has become a popular branch of toxicology, dealing with animal cruelty (e.g., malicious poisoning), regulatory issues (e.g., contamination of the feed supply chain), insurance litigation or wildlife poisoning. The current study highlights the importance of the toxicological aspects of animal health-related disagreements in a pet custody case following a divorce. In this study, the custody case of three dogs and a cat was concluded with the aid of toxicological test results that were obtained from the pets' blood samples for the first time in Turkey. The results confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine in one of the blood samples, as alleged by one of the owners. The study also aims to raise the veterinarians', as well as the judicial system members', awareness of drug abuse in pets.

About the Authors

About the Authors

Post-Mortem Dental Profile as a Powerful Tool in Animal Forensic Investigations-A Review.

Simple SummaryTeeth are the hardest anatomical structure of the animal body. As a result, even when preservation conditions are extremely poor and the rest of the skeleton decomposes, the dentition is often still preserved. The strong nature of the teeth means that they are often an invaluable biological source of information about a deceased animal. This is particularly important in forensic investigations resolving legal disputes involving animals and in circumstances where the animal body is recovered a long time after death. The post-mortem dental profile can contribute information such as species identification, sex, age-at-death, body size, geographical origin (provenance), and post-mortem interval. Although the dental profile may not lead to a positive identification, it can narrow the pool toward a presumptive identity. In this review, we briefly examine different dental techniques using characteristics of teeth as a means of identification of freshly deceased and skeletonised animals, highlighting the importance of dentition in the identification process in forensic contexts.Veterinary forensics is becoming more important in our society as a result of the growing demand for investigations related to crimes against animals or investigations of criminal deaths caused by animals. A veterinarian may participate as an expert witness or may be required to give forensic assistance, by providing knowledge of the specialty to establish a complete picture of the involvement of an animal and allowing the Courts to reach a verdict. By applying diverse dental profiling techniques, not only can species, sex, age-at-death, and body size of an animal be estimated, but also data about their geographical origin (provenance) and the post-mortem interval. This review concentrates on the dental techniques that use the characteristics of teeth as a means of identification of freshly deceased and skeletonised animals. Furthermore, this highlights the information that can be extracted about the animal from the post-mortem dental profile.

Comparative Mitogenomics of Flesh Flies: Implications for Phylogeny.

Simple SummaryFlesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) make up the second-largest family of Oestroidea. They are well known for their veterinary, forensic, and medical importance due to their extremely diverse feeding habits, making them a hotspot in dipterology research. Therefore, efforts have been devoted to accumulating the mitochondrial genomes of Sarcophagidae. However, the mitogenome of flesh flies has mostly been sequenced for the genus Sarcophaga of the subfamily Sarcophaginae, and the other two subfamilies, Miltogramminae and Paramacronychiinae, have barely been touched. Here, we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of five sarcophagid species from four genera representing all three subfamilies and investigated the phylogeny and evolution of flesh flies from the perspective of the mitogenome via comprehensive comparative analyses employing all mitogenomic data. This study will broaden our knowledge of flesh flies and make contributions to forensics, veterinary science, entomology, and ecology.Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) represent a rapid radiation belonging to the Calyptratae. With more than 3000 known species, they are extraordinarily diverse in terms of their breeding habits and are therefore of particular importance in human and veterinary medicine, forensics, and ecology. To better comprehend the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary characteristics of the Sarcophagidae, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of five species of flesh flies and performed mitogenomic comparisons amongst the three subfamilies. The mitochondrial genomes match the hypothetical condition of the insect ancestor in terms of gene content and gene arrangement. The evolutionary rates of the subfamilies of Sarcophagidae differ significantly, with Miltogramminae exhibiting a higher rate than the other two subfamilies. The monophyly of the Sarcophagidae and each subfamily is strongly supported by phylogenetic analysis, with the subfamily-level relationship inferred as (Sarcophaginae, (Miltogramminae, Paramacronychiinae)). This study suggests that phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial genomes may not be appropriate for rapidly evolving groups such as Miltogramminae and that the third-codon positions could play a considerable role in reconstructing the phylogeny of Sarcophagidae. The protein-coding genes ND2 and ND6 have the potential to be employed as DNA markers for species identification and delimitation in flesh flies.

Virtopsia como complemento a la necropsia tradicional en medicina forense veterinaria

Forensic Veterinary Medicine is growing due to scientific, social and legislative developments. In this science, the elucidation of the cause of death is very important, and the traditional necropsy examination is the main tool that is used to achieve this purpose. Virtopsy is a new technique in which the necropsy is performed involving non-invasive methods, using image capture equipment such as X-ray imaging systems, CT/MRI scanning, with or without contrast injections. The traditional necropsy and the virtopsy are tools for judicial support, being used of forensic purpose to support crimes evidences. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the use of virtopsy as a complement to traditional necropsy, through a scoping review of the literature, using the keywords: Veterinary Forensic Medicine, Forensic Veterinary Pathology, Animal Law, Necropsy, Virtopsy and Postmortem Diagnosis; in reference databases such SciELO.org, Google Academic, Academia.Edu, BVS-VET and USP Repository, in the last 10 years, in Portuguese, English and Spanish languages. Approximately 50% of 90 publications found, were cited in this research. Studies have shown that the virtopsy and the traditional necropsy provide different results, thus evidencing that both can complement each other when used together. The association of these findings collaborates to improve the elucidation of causes of death and post-mortem identification injuries. The cadaveric study provided by virtopsy is very important and promising alternative diagnostic support, however, it is a relatively new science so its applications and limitations are still being discovered, however, in the coming years, virtopsy can be considered as a promising research field.

The practice of live animal’s forensic veterinary examination with signs of injury

The disposition of Article 299 Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine provides criminal liability for animal’s cruel treatment, including for inflicting bodily harm in the injury form. However, regulations and sources of scientific literature don’t contain a definition of the animal mutilation concept and the procedure for its establishment. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the practice of forensic veterinary examination of animal’s bodily injuries, which resulted in injury. The article shows that the author's definition of "animal mutilation" is a persistent disorder of animal health due to injury or its consequences, congenital malformations, diseases, accidents that led to complete or partial loss of any organ or animal body part, or to the total or partial loss of only the functions of the organ or parts of the animal's body, which in the interaction of the animal with the environment may lead to permanent loss or significant limitation of the ability to provide physiological manifestations at the level of other animals of the same species(nutrition, reproduction, orientation and movement in space, coordination of movements, natural lifestyles, contact with other animals, self-defense, ability to perform useful work, etc.), and distorts the appearance of the animal due to mutilation of body parts due to deformation, and their physical absence. The purpose of a live subject with signs of injury forensic veterinary examination is to determine the location, nature, severity of damage to animal health, nature of the injury, the degree of disability of the animal in connection with the injury, as well as solving other tasks within the competence of forensic veterinary expert, as well as at the request of the body or person who appointed the expertise or involved the expert. It was stated that the forensic veterinary examination objects are live experimental animals in order to establish their mutilation, including victims of abuse or other illegal actions, as well as signs of congenital malformations, pathological conditions that developed during breeding, animal’s exploitation and transportation; accidents. It was found out that the subjects of forensic veterinary examination of the subject for the purpose of establishing its mutilation are veterinarians who have higher veterinary education, have been trained in forensic veterinary examination in the expert specialty 18.1 "Veterinary Research" and have the forensic veterinary expert qualification. When deciding on the infliction of an animal bodily injuries that caused its injury, the forensic veterinary expert must use the "Rules of forensic veterinary determination of the severity of damage to animal health" and the "Methodology of forensic veterinary examination of animals to determine their injury". Key words: animals, mutilation, injuries, ill-treatment, forensic veterinary examination.

Comparative morphological aspect of the study of bones of domestic and wild animals

At present, there is not enough information in the available literature about the anatomical features of the skull bones of various animal species, which is relevant when conducting forensic veterinary and medical examinations. Understanding of the structure of living organisms is impossible without anatomical preparations; it is necessary to clearly understand the place and position of each organ, to know all the options for anatomical relationships with neighboring organs. Knowledge of topographic anatomy is extremely important for the practitioner, it is necessary for successful diagnosis and subsequent treatment. The purpose of this work is to compare the bones of the skull of a cat, rabbit and hare, as well as to study their structure and morphometric parameters.Objects and methods. The objects of the study were the skulls of domestic and wild animals: a domestic outbred cat, a rabbit of the Gray giant breed, a brown hare. The work was carried out in several stages: digestion with the addition of sodium bicarbonate, cleaning, bleaching with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, drying, followed by morphometric measurement and visual comparison.Results. In a cat, the premaxillary bone and supraorbital process are absent, the hook of the pterygoid bone is long and rounded inwards. In rabbit and hare skulls, the anterior and posterior supraorbital processes are present on the frontal bone, and the hook of the pterygoid bone is short, sharp, and straight. The interparietal bone of the hare merged with the occipital, while in the rabbit and cat it exists as an independent bone. The information provided will greatly facilitate the conduct of a veterinary forensic examination in the investigation of crimes related to poaching.