(KRON) – A woman in Australia was killed by a rooster who pecked at her leg repeatedly, striking a varicose vein that hemorrhaged and caused her death.
According to the report, published in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, the woman had been collecting eggs at her home when the aggressive rooster attacked her lower-left leg repeatedly.
An autopsy revealed a hemorrhage caused the woman to collapse and later die.
She was previously diagnosed with hypertension, type II diabetes and varicose veins.
The autopsy listed her cause of death as exsanguination, which is a severe loss of blood, caused by the rooster’s aggressive pecking.
However, the authors of the study say the attack is considered “rare,” telling LiveScience that it “demonstrates that even relatively small domestic animals may be able to inflict lethal injuries in individuals if there are specific vascular vulnerabilities present.”
Professor Roger Byard at the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia, who co-authored the study with Judith Fronczek, said that this incident shows “how vulnerable the elderly are.”
Any superficial vein may become vericosed, which means twisted and enlarged, but they are most commonly found in the legs.
According to the MayoClinic, they are most often a cosmetic concern, but in some cases they can lead to more serious issues.
Complications tied to varicose veins may include ulcers, blood clots or bleeding.
