title: [Decapitation due to early post-mortem canine gnawing].
abstract: A 53-year-old male was found dead in his home. The deceased's head, almost totally skeletonized, was lying at a distance of about 150 cm from the thorax inlet. The other occupant of the flat was a mongrel sheepdog. The autopsy conducted for the inquest established extensive damage to soft tissue in the head, neck and chest. The second to sixth cervical vertebrae were missing. The seventh cervical vertebra and the right first rib displayed bone lesions. The tissue injuries were attributed in the diagnosis to post-mortem canine gnawing. Cause of death was given as intermittent haemorrhaging of the gastro-intestinal tract from oesophageal varices in a status of hepatic cirrhosis. There was no indication that death had been caused by another party. About two days were estimated to have elapsed since death. Attention is drawn to this doubtless rare instance of total decapitation of the deceased with displacement of the head caused by a dog during the early post-mortem period.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Rechtsmedizin (CCM) der Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmeling
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.forename: Gunther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geserick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D049248:Decapitation / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000473:pathology; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes