title: [Post-mortem animal predation of the genital region caused by a half-breed dog].
abstract: The authors describe and discuss the case of a 51-year-old man, who was lying mummified in his apartment. Beside the corpse, the well-fed half-breed dog of the deceased was found. Only the penis and testicles of the corpse were destroyed by post-mortem animal scavenging, whereas the face and the rest of the body were intact. There was plenty of dog food in the apartment. In contrast to wild animals, with domestic dogs hunger is the cause for post-mortem scavenging only in the minority of cases. It is rather a displacement activity. Frequently, the face and hands are destroyed by post-mortem animal predation, as these body regions are usually unclothed and thus easily accessible. Lesions in other localizations are seldom seen and injuries in the genital region are a rarity.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
authors.forename: Claas T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Buschmann
authors.forename: Detlev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wrobel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsokos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000473:pathology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes