Citation

Rodríguez Almada H, García Maggi I, Rodríguez M, Stewart J. J. Forensic Leg. Med. 2019; 62: 112-114.

Affiliation

Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jflm.2019.02.001

PMID

30785096

Abstract

We present the case of a six year and two months old girl who showed a large anal tear, attributed to the penetration of pet dog's penis. After several interviews with the child, as well as her parents, the paediatric psychiatrist assessed the account of events as authentic, understanding by that her narration of events approaches to the subject's truth. According with the guidelines the patient was discharged home with strict follow up by her paediatrician. The girl continued to be followed up by the same paediatrician for eight years. Currently, she is 14 years and 3 months old, without any pathologies and a good school performance. A new evaluation by a psychiatrist not involved with the healthcare team, confirmed the diagnosis of anal tear due to the penetration of the pet's penis. The present report is the third in the literature regarding anal lesions in children caused by the penetration of a dog penis. It is the one at a youngest age and the first on a girl. It concerns a truly rare situation, but it still should be taken into account when the mechanism is alleged. The seriousness of overlooking child abuse, as well as a potential wrong diagnosis, are indications for thorough initial physical and psychosocial evaluations.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Anal lesions; Child sexual abuse; Dog penis