Death Secondary to a Donkey's Bites

Abstract

We present a unique case of death due to the assault and bites of a donkey on a 65-year-old man. The farmer, found dead in his farmyard, had a very deep wound in the anterior region of the neck, with a sharp transection of the trachea and severe bleeding by several minor vessels wall disruptions. The cause of death was established to be massive bleeding combined with asphyxia due to aspiration of the blood. Moreover, multiple contusions with associated skin abrasions and perforations were present. The general impression of the injuries was consistent with an animal's bite marks. Herbivorous or omnivorous bite attacks on humans are rare; instead, these animals attack by kicking, trampling, and kneeling, resulting in secondary blunt injuries. The donkey is usually a docile animal, but its behavior can be aggressive during the mating season, and the possibility of biting should not be underestimated, as illustrated by the 2 cases published previously as well as by the case presented here.

Danger on the Farm: A Comparison of Agricultural and Animal-Related Injuries

“…Even animal bites have been reported to be fatal. 10 Farmers can be injured by the animals they encounter, the machines they operate, and the environment in which they work. Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world [11][12][13][14] and in 1992 agricultural occupational injuries cost more than 4.5 billion dollars.…”

A Rare Presentation of Donkey Bites Involving the Cheek and Ear: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…This occurrence of donkey bites in these cases is, hypothetically, justifiable given their inability to defend themselves from any attacks or for doing something that can provoke these animals [10]. Reported donkey bites can involve various body parts, including the face (five cases) [9,[12][13][14], the neck (six cases) [15][16][17], extremities (six cases) [13,16,18,19], the ear (one case) [13], the scalp (three cases) [11] or the penis (two cases) [19,20]. Our case came to the emergency department with rather a rare presentation involving the cheek and ear, which are rarely reported in the literature.…”

“…Reported donkey bites can involve various body parts, including the face (five cases) [ 9 , 12 - 14 ], the neck (six cases) [ 15 - 17 ], extremities (six cases) [ 13 , 16 , 18 , 19 ], the ear (one case) [ 13 ], the scalp (three cases) [ 11 ] or the penis (two cases) [ 19 , 20 ]. Our case came to the emergency department with rather a rare presentation involving the cheek and ear, which are rarely reported in the literature.…”

Domestic donkey bite of genitalia: an unusual etiology of penile glans amputation in Burkina Faso (case report and literature review)

“…Unlike other pets, donkeys are not often responsible for human injuries compared to other animals such as dogs and cats. However, when they occur, these donkey bites are sometimes dramatic and fatal [ 5 ]. Of all donkey-related injuries to the human body, the external genitalia are rarely affected [ 3 ].…”