ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the veterinary forensic investigator to the basic principles of bitemark analysis and discusses the documentation and appropriate collection of bitemark evidence. It also discusses examination of the animal both as the suspect and victim. In the dog, bitemark analysis should be performed regardless of if the victim was in a spontaneous dog fight or organized dog fight. In both the cat and dog, the mandibles are joined at the midline by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the mandibular symphysis. Dogs in organized dog fights may present with few to hundreds of scars on their bodies as well as fresh bitemarks. Bitemark interpretation will depend on the quality of the bitemark. In relation to veterinary forensics, evaluation of dental evidence, specifically bitemarks and oral anatomy, can be used to support or refute the possibility of a specific animal being the perpetrator of the bite.
