ABSTRACT
This chapter explores causes that may result in environmental and situational injury or death encountered by companion animals in animal abuse scenarios. Situational injury or death may result from burns or drowning from submersion in water. Environmental injury or death may result from hyperthermia or hypothermia caused by extremes in temperature through climate, confinement, and lack of shelter. Ingestion of chemicals may result from an environmental exposure, either intentional or accidental. Additional methods are intentional feeding or applications to the body that are further complicated by grooming. In animal abuse cases, hyperthermia is observed when animals are left inside a hot car or building or tethered outside without access to water or any protection from elevated environmental temperatures and direct sunlight. In addition, aquatic animal scavenging and other environmental factors, natural or manmade, can alter antemortem lesions or create postmortem lesions. Primary hypothermia is present when the body has normal heat-producing capability and is exposed to low environmental temperatures.
