Death due to Drowning
When atmospheric air is prevented from entering the lungs, caused by the submersion of a body in water, it is called death due to drowning.
Drowning is rarely employed as a means of mischievous killing of animals.
In the vetero-legal cases, the veterinarian may be asked to confirm whether the cause of death was drowning or if there were other factors responsible for the death of the animal.
By examination of the carcass it can be decided whether the animal was alive at the time of drowning or the dead animal was thrown into the water.
Signs Suggestive of Death by Drowning
- External surface:
- Skin shows a corrugated appearance.
- If the animal was alive at the time of drowning, the injuries will have an inflammatory reaction.
- Respiratory system:
- A fine white lathery froth is seen at the mouth, nostril, trachea and bronchi.
- Lungs are edematous and distended like ballons.
- Presence of water in the lungs.
- Gastrointestinal tract:
- Large amount of water in the stomach containing objects present.
- in the water at immersion (eg) Sand, Mud and Algae.
- Rigor mortis.
- Early Mode of death: In drowning, death is due to Asphyxia, shock and Fatal injuries.
- Carcass should be examined carefully for death due to other causes like poisoning, violence, Disease. When the signs of death by drowning are absent.
- Typical signs of drowning are seen in the body only if it is removed from water within few hours after death and examined immediately. These signs are modified with the time and may disappear all together when the body is removed from after putrification.
Death from Drowning
- Means death from prevention of atmospheric air from entering the lungs caused by the submersion of the body in any fluid medium.
- Submersion of mouth and nostrils alone with prevent the air from entering the respiratory tract.
- Complex patho-physiological events occur.
- May differ according to the fluid entering in to the lungs.
Death Due to Fresh Water
- Large amount of water enter (hypotonic nature).
- Lungs.
- Absorbed rapidly in to blood stream.
- Hypervolemia.
- Haemodilution.
- Anoxia caused by dilution of haemoglobin associated with RBCs.
- Ventricular fibrillation.
- Haemolysis of erythrocytes.
Drowning in Sea Water (Hypertonic)
- Rapid diffusion of salts into blood.
- Effusion of water from blood.
- Haemoconcentration and Pulmonary oedema due to entering of water into alveoli.
Mode of Death in Case of Drowning
- Asphyxia.
- Shock.
- Fatal injuries.
- Signs which indicate the occurrence of death by drowning.
- Fine leathery froth is seen at the mouth and nostrils.
- Skin-corrugated appearance.
- Early rigor mortis.
- Lungs-distended like balloons.
- Oedematous and spongy lungs.
- Fine white froth in larynx, trachea and bronchial tubes.
- Presences of water in lungs.
- Large amount of water in stomach along with the objects present in the water like algae etc.
- Injuries on the animal body-Live at death-inflammatory process.
- Above feature are absent the carcass should be thoroughly examined for other causes. Eg. Poisoning, violence, diseases etc.