Macroscopic Differences of Pig Eye after Death: A Veterinary Forensic Study

Abstract

The study of veterinary forensics is a field of science that is developing rapidly in the world of veterinary medicine. Veterinary forensics plays a crucial role in investigating and resolving cases involving animals, either as subjects or objects in incidents and ensuring the collection of all possible biological and physical evidence. Given the close relationship between humans and animals, numerous significant cases arise that are pertinent to veterinary forensics. The current research aimed to determine early post-mortem changes in pigs, providing insights into animal mortality in real-world scenarios. Observations were made on seven male Yorkshire pigs, aged 3 months old, with an average weight of 30.1 kg. Pigs were observed at four different post-mortem intervals, including 2,4,6, and 8 hours after death, with initial observations at the time of death serving as the control. Observations of changes in the eye sclera, eye lens, eyeball temperature, and eyeball pressure were carried out at each time interval. Results at the 2nd and 4th hours post-mortem showed no macroscopic changes in the eye sclera and eye lens, but there were changes in eye pressure. By the 6th and 8th hours, changes in the sclera and eye lens showed desiccation in the area of the sclera and the eye lens, which became increasingly cloudy. The eyeball temperature measurement values from the 2nd to 8th hour of the study revealed a significant decrease in eyeball pressure. The results of this study indicated observable changes in the eyes can be used as a basic alternative method for calculating the introductory post-mortem interval in animals in the future. There was a significant decrease in eyeball temperature, and eyeball compactness, as significant differences in the eye sclera, and eye lens at 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours post-mortem, compared to the time of death. These variables offer crucial insights into early post-mortem changes in pigs, using the eyes as the primary focus of observation.