ANIMAL HAIR AS EVIDENCE IN THE VETERINARY FORENSIC

Životinjska je dlaka jedan od fizickih dokaza u brojnim i raznolikim slucajevima zlocina. U veterinarskoj forenzici morfoloske analize osobitosti dlaka vrsta i pasmina domacih i divljih životinja mogu poslužiti kao kljucni potkrepljujuci dokazi u istragama takvih slucajeva. Cilj ovoga rada bila je poredbena analiza morfoloske grane dlake macke, psa, konja, goveda i ovce. Po 20 uzoraka dlaka od svake istraživane vrste životinja prikupljeni su od zdravih jedinki, bez obzira na spol, dob i godisnje doba, na Veterinarskom fakultetu Sveucilista u Zagrebu. Morfoloske osobitosti kutikule, korteksa i srži dlake istraživane su s pomocu elektronskog mikroskopa Philips XL30 ESEM i poredneno s pomocu mikroskopa Leica FS2500. Elektronskim mikroskopom uocene su razlike u grani kutikule i korteksa specificne za svaku od istraživanih vrsta životinja. Psi i macke imaju posebnu granu korteksa, koji je relativno tanak, a imaju i posebno granene zracne komorice. U goveda i konja kutikula dlake je svjetlija, a korteks je tamniji, sa slabije vidljivim zracnim komoricama. Svjetlosnim mikroskopom vidljive su specificne razlike u omotacu kutikule i korteksa dlake u testiranih vrsta životinja. Nužna su daljnja iscrpna istraživanja morfologije dlaka vrsta i pasmina domacih životinja, napose pratitelja covjeka i konzumnih vrsta, radi uspostavljanja baze podataka o vrsnim/pasminskim specificnostima dlake za prakticnu primjenu u veterinarskoj forenzici. The animal hair is one among physical evidences for vast variety of crime cases. In veterinary forensics, the morphological analyses of the hair characteristics from species and breeds of domestic and wild animals may serve as crucial supporting evidences in investigating such cases. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyze the morphological structure of hair from cat, dog, horse, cattle and sheep. Twenty hair samples from each of investigated animal species were collected from healthy individuals, regardless of sex, age, and seasonal period at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb. The morphological characteristics of cuticlae, cortex and medulla of hair were investigated using an environmental scanning electron microscope Philips XL30 ESEM and the comparison microscope Leica FS2500. By electron microscope differences were observed in structure of the cuticlae and of the cortext, and were specific for each investigated species of animals. Dogs and cats had a specific structure of the cortex which was relatively thick and had a specifically structured air chambers. In the cattle and horses the hair cuticulae was brighter, while the cortex was darker with less perceived air chambers. By using a light microscope specifical differences between a coat of the hair cuticulae and the cortex were visible in animal species tested. Further research is needed for a comprehensive morphological examination of hair from species and breeds of domestic animals, particularly companion and food animals, in order to establish species/breed specific hair database for practical use in the veterinary forensics.