Wischnewsky spots in starved dogs and cats and their relevance in veterinary forensic pathology

In 1895, the German pathologist Dr S.M. Wischnewsky described black, plaque-like discolorations of the gastric mucosa in humans whose cause of death was associated with hypothermia. The pathogenesis of these gastric lesions, known as Wischnewsky spots, is thought to be associated with blood redistribution mechanisms as the body attempts to preserve core body temperature in hypothermic conditions. However, the complete pathogenesis is not fully understood. The relationship between Wischnewsky spots and hypothermia in nonhuman species has also been documented, but again, such lesions in veterinary pathology have an unclear pathogenesis. This study investigated the presence of Wischnewsky spots in several veterinary forensic cases involving 89 emaciated dogs and 46 emaciated cats submitted to the Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Liverpool, from 2016 to 2023. The gastric lesions were categorized, and collected data were used to compare the characteristics of those lesions found within animals deemed to have died from starvation compared with those having died via cachexic mechanisms. This study aimed to further understand the pathogenesis and diagnostic significance of Wischnewsky spots in veterinary forensic cases. The results indicated that Wischnewsky spots have a significant association with cats and dogs deemed to have died by starvation compared with cases of cachexia. Although comprehensive pathogenesis remains unclear, veterinary forensic cases with Wischnewsky spots are likely to be linked to the combination of stress and hypothermia experienced by cats and dogs that die because of starvation.