An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report

Here we report the accidental discovery of a gunshot wound involving a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat. Toxicology results investigating the possibility of poisoning by anticoagulant rodenticide-type agents (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, diphethialone, flocoumafen, and warfarin) and fo...

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Main Authors: Makovická Mária, Bolgáč Peter, Makovický Pavol, Kráľová Klaudia, Makovický Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2025-06-01
Series:Folia Veterinaria
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2025-0016
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author Makovická Mária
Bolgáč Peter
Makovický Pavol
Kráľová Klaudia
Makovický Peter
author_facet Makovická Mária
Bolgáč Peter
Makovický Pavol
Kráľová Klaudia
Makovický Peter
author_sort Makovická Mária
collection DOAJ
description Here we report the accidental discovery of a gunshot wound involving a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat. Toxicology results investigating the possibility of poisoning by anticoagulant rodenticide-type agents (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, diphethialone, flocoumafen, and warfarin) and for cholinesterase inhibitor pesticides (carbofuran) were negative. Internal examination discovered minor amounts of free blood in the chest cavity and uncoagulated blood in the heart cavities. The cardiac musculature of the ventricles is hypertrophied, and cavities of the ventricles are narrowed. The lungs exhibit an edema, and there are extensive confluent diffuse hemorrhages. The kidneys are light brown in color, soft in consistency, with dotted or diffuse hemorrhages in the cortex and marrow. There is dark red fluid in the bladder. There is a slightly protruding structure in the center of the right lateral lobe of the liver in view of the diaphragmatic surface, in which the diabolo pellet, with a wound, has been encased. Autopsy documents reveal renal failure. In relation to the autopsy findings, attention is paid to the impact of the release of lead from the diabolo pellet into the body, impairing filtration, leading to renal failure and death. In the puzzle of the cause of death based on autopsy and toxicological findings, the work is a good example of the importance of considering several factors in renal failure even without further investigation.
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spelling doaj-art-2cc2398b63a245feb2bfc9767b3daf162025-08-20T02:38:36ZengSciendoFolia Veterinaria2453-78372025-06-01692374210.2478/fv-2025-0016An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case reportMakovická Mária0Bolgáč Peter1Makovický Pavol2Kráľová Klaudia3Makovický Peter41Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic3Department of Pathology, Veterinary and Food Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic4Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, J. Selye University, Komárno, Slovak Republic5Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak republic1Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak RepublicHere we report the accidental discovery of a gunshot wound involving a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat. Toxicology results investigating the possibility of poisoning by anticoagulant rodenticide-type agents (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, diphethialone, flocoumafen, and warfarin) and for cholinesterase inhibitor pesticides (carbofuran) were negative. Internal examination discovered minor amounts of free blood in the chest cavity and uncoagulated blood in the heart cavities. The cardiac musculature of the ventricles is hypertrophied, and cavities of the ventricles are narrowed. The lungs exhibit an edema, and there are extensive confluent diffuse hemorrhages. The kidneys are light brown in color, soft in consistency, with dotted or diffuse hemorrhages in the cortex and marrow. There is dark red fluid in the bladder. There is a slightly protruding structure in the center of the right lateral lobe of the liver in view of the diaphragmatic surface, in which the diabolo pellet, with a wound, has been encased. Autopsy documents reveal renal failure. In relation to the autopsy findings, attention is paid to the impact of the release of lead from the diabolo pellet into the body, impairing filtration, leading to renal failure and death. In the puzzle of the cause of death based on autopsy and toxicological findings, the work is a good example of the importance of considering several factors in renal failure even without further investigation.https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2025-0016entrapped diabolo pelletforensic medicinegunshot woundsrenal impairmentveterinary pathology
spellingShingle Makovická Mária
Bolgáč Peter
Makovický Pavol
Kráľová Klaudia
Makovický Peter
An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report
Folia Veterinaria
entrapped diabolo pellet
forensic medicine
gunshot wounds
renal impairment
veterinary pathology
title An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report
title_full An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report
title_fullStr An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report
title_full_unstemmed An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report
title_short An unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat: A case report
title_sort unusual finding of a gunshot wound caused by a diabolo pellet in the liver of a cat a case report
topic entrapped diabolo pellet
forensic medicine
gunshot wounds
renal impairment
veterinary pathology
url https://doi.org/10.2478/fv-2025-0016
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