Byrd, Norris, Bradley Veterinary Forensic Medicine and Forensic Sciences

While there are several recent books on this emerging filed, Veterinary Forensic Sciences and Medicine sets the bar covering all relevant aspects in a succinct, easy-to-read, comprehensive format intended to be taught in a single semester course. Intended to be the premier textbook on Veterinary Forensic Sciences, the book covers the application of veterinary forensic medicine to cases—including both the medical perspective—as well as the law enforcement response, crime scene management, and evidence recovery issues.

Coverage includes the scientific and legal principles for veterinary forensic evidence. This is to clearly delineate it from veterinary-only practices, since the forensic aspects present additional challenges that include evidence recovery and preservation, report writing, and maintaining evidentiary chain of custody all the way through expert witness testimony. Such emerging topics that are covered include DNA and genetic evidence, entomological evidence in support of veterinary forensics, animal fighting, situational deaths including poisonings, domestic violence and cruelty, sharp and blunt force trauma, gunshots and wound ballistics, sexual assault, non-human odontology and osteology, and more.

This text offers a straight-forward presentation of the current practices and includes several real-world case examples throughout to illustrate concepts. Fully illustrated with over 280 full-color images, Veterinary Forensic Sciences and Medicine provides the latest in advances and up-to-date field techniques, applicable for student instruction in the classroom, and beyond.