Clinical and biochemical changes in 53 Swedish dogs bitten by the European adder - Vipera berus

Abstract

BackgroundEvery year many dogs in Sweden are bitten by Vipera berus, the only venomous viper in Sweden. This prospective study investigated clinical signs, some biochemical parameters, treatment, and progress of disease after snakebite in 53 dogs. Effects of treatment with and without glucocorticoids were evaluated.MethodsAll fifty-three dogs bitten by Vipera berus were examined the same day the dog was bitten and the next day. Two more examinations during 23 days post snake bite were included. Creatinine, creatine kinase (CK), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bile acid results were followed through 3 to 4 samplings from 34 of the dogs.ResultsAll dogs had variable severity of local swelling in the bite area and 73 per cent had affected mental status. Initial cardiac auscultation examination was normal in all dogs, but six dogs had cardiac abnormalities at their second examination, including cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac murmurs. All dogs received fluid therapy, 36 dogs were given analgesics, 22 dogs were treated with glucocorticoids, and ten dogs were treated with antibiotics. Evidence of transient muscle damage (increased CK) was seen one day after the snake bite in 15 (54%) of 28 sampled dogs. Moderate changes in hepatic test results occurred in 1 dog and several dogs (22 of 34) had transient, minor increases in one or more hepatic test result. No dog died during the observation period as a consequence of the snake bite.ConclusionsSnake bite caused local swelling in all dogs and mental depression of short duration in most dogs. Some dogs had transient clinical signs that could be indicative of cardiac injury and some other had transient biochemical signs of liver injury. Treatment with glucocorticoids did not have any clear positive or negative effect on clinical signs and mortality.

Evaluation of snake envenomation-induced renal dysfunction in dogs using early urinary biomarkers of nephrotoxicity

“…However, in the United States envenomation has been recently estimated to affect 150,000 dogs and cats per year (Gilliam and Brunker, 2011) and in the United Kingdom, 0.7% of the calls to Veterinary Poisonous Information Services were reported to be related to snake envenomation events (Sutton et al, 2011). Mortality of dogs secondary to snake envenomation in different parts of the world has been reported to be from 1 -5% (Lervik et al, 2010;Gilliam and Brunker, 2011;Sutton et al, 2011) and as high as 30% (Gilliam and Brunker, 2011).…”

“…The most commonly observed clinical manifestations of renal abnormalities after snake envenomation in humans and dogs are acute kidney injury (AKI), proteinuria and hematuria (Sitprija, 2006;Kanjanabuch and Sitprija, 2008;Goddard et al, 2011) The majority of studies and reports of snake envenomation in dogs have focused on routine serum analyses and only to some extent on urinalysis (Heller et al, 2007;Lervik et al, 2010;Gilliam and Brunker, 2011;Sutton et al, 2011). Nevertheless, these parameters are nonspecific and insensitive as they are only altered at the point when about 50 -75% of renal function is already lost (Finco, 1997).…”

Overview and controversies in the medical management of pit viper envenomation in the dog

“…The only significant change regarding the administration of glucocorticoid drugs or antihistamines in the dogs was a higher leukocyte count following therapy . Another recent canine study of 53 dogs reported no obvious positive or negative effects with antiinflammatory or immunosuppressive doses of oral or injectable prednisone administration (0.1–2 mg/kg for 1–5 days) after natural envenomation by the European adder ( Vipera berus ) …”

Comparing means or distributions

“…In another study, 12 clinical and serum biochemical changes were evaluated in dogs that had been bitten by European adders. For 23 of 28 (82%) dogs, the serum creatinine concentration on the day a dog was bitten was higher than the concentration on the next day.…”