Course code Vete4058
Credit points 1.50
Forensic Veterinary Medicine
Additional course materials Vete4058_St. k. programmasTiesu veterinārmedicīna izvērsts saturs.pdf
Total Hours in Course40
Number of hours for lectures10
Number of hours for seminars and practical classes10
Date of course confirmation03.06.2014
Responsible UnitPreclinical Institute
Course developer
Dace Gorbačevska
Dr. med. vet.
Prior knowledge
Vete3004, Animal, Environmental Hygiene II
Vete3041, Special Pathology II
Vete4036, General Pathology I
Vete4037, General Pathology II
Vete4100, Animal Postmortem Necropsies
Course abstract
Course instructs different types of inspection, their procedural base, general methodology and order of designation, rights, duties and responsibility of expert. Study course includes forensic veterinary tanathology, traumathology, toxicology, inspection of material evidence and documents, inspection of veterinarians professional offence and learn the order of veterinary forensic statement.
Learning outcomes and their assessment
• Knowledge - students have to learn types of veterinary forensic inspection, their procesular base, rights, duties and responsibility of experts, and participation in giving statement of veterinary forensic expert.
• Skills - ability to use methodology of veterinary forensic inspection.
• Competence - ability to apply knowledge and skills analysing veterinary forensic cases and ability to give answers to asked questions for expert.
Course Content(Calendar)
1 Procedural basis of forensic expertise. Legal and unlawful behaviour. Procedure for appointment of expert opinion, conclusion.
2 judicial veterinary medicine tannatology. Cruel behaviour towards animal.
3 Forensic veterinary traumatology – Blunt force trauma. Practical work Expertise of traumatic injury.
4 Forensic veterinary traumatology – Sharp pores. Practical work Expert examination of traumatic injury.
5 Forensic veterinary traumatology – Gunshot injuries. Practical work Gunshot injury expertise.
6 Forensic veterinary traumatology - by hypoxia. Practical work Asphyxia expertise.
7 Forensic veterinary medicine traumatology - Cooling and overheating. Practical work Thermal examination expertise.
8 Forensic veterinary medicine toxicology. Practical work Feeding neglect expertise, examination of samples.
9 Veterinary professional mistake and accident. Forensic veterinary medicine expertise statement.
10 Study visit to the State Center for Forensic Medical Examination of the Republic of Latvia (VTMEC).
Requirements for awarding credit points
Students must complete all practical works, take part in a study visit to the State Center for Forensic Medical Examination, and successfully write their own work in the examination of forensic expertise in veterinary medicine. Test
Compulsory reading
1. Teteris O. Tiesu medicīnas esence. Rīga: Rasa ABC, 2004. 591 lpp.
2. LR Krimināllikums. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2010. 399 lpp.
3. LR Kriminālprocesa likums. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2010. 646 lpp.
4. Veterinary Forensics: Animal Cruelty Investigations. [tiešsaiste]. ed. Merck M.D. USA Blackwell Publishing, 2007.
[skatīts: 08.07.2014.]. Pieejams: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/9781118704738 vai http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118704738
Further reading
1. Sinclair L., Merck M., Lockwood R. Forensic Investigation of Animal Cruelty: A Guide for Veterinary and Law Enforcement Professionals. USA Humane Society Press, 2006.
2. Cooper J. E., Cooper M. E. Introduction to Veterinary and Comparative Forensic Medicine. USA Wiley-Blackwell, 2007.
3. Черняк В.З., Добин М.А., Кокуричев П.И. Судебно-ветеринарная экспертиза. Ленинград-Москва: Сельхозиздат, 1983.
Periodicals and other sources
1. Veterinārais žurnāls. LVB informatīvais izdevums. ISSN 1407-0065.
2. Journal of Advanced Veterinary Research. Published by ScopeMed. [tiešsaiste]. ISSN (printed) 2090-6269. ISSN (electronic): 2090-6277. [skatīts 07.07.2014.]. Pieejams CAB Abstracts datubāzē: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=lbh