Triple bothropic envenomation in horses caused by a single snake

Abstract

Abstract:In the present study, snakebites caused by a single Bothrops pauloensis simultaneously affecting three male adult horses are described. Whereas the first two affected horses were six years old, the third was 16 years old; they weighed respectively 555, 550 and 500 kg. All horses presented swollen muzzles. The first animal received an initial antivenom dose of 19 vials and adjuvant medication, it was also subjected to tracheostomy due to the progression of acute respiratory failure. The second and third horses respectively received 15 vials of antivenom each, in addition to adjuvant medication. Due to continuous changes in blood coagulation observed during hospitalization, the first and the second horses received five more vials of antivenom, respectively, in the second and third days of treatment. The first animal was discharged on 15 th day and the other on the 8 th day of hospitalization. Several factors including the main actions of Bothrops venom (coagulation, proteolytic and vasculotoxic activities), the importance of early diagnosis based on clinical history and clinical examination suggesting the diagnosis of Bothrops snakebite, the adequate doses of antivenom, and finally the immediate tracheostomy are herein discussed. The tracheostomy, required to save the life of the first horse, should only occur after the administration of antivenom and control measures for changes in blood coagulation.

Fatal bothropic snakebite in a horse: a case report

“…The decrease of hematocrit level, on the fourth day, may be attributed to the hemorrhagic edema and the bleeding, since some animals might develop anemia due to severe bleedings (9). In previous studies on animals with venom of Bothrops alternatus, the animals bled easily and had decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin (10).…”

Guidelines for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of snakebite envenoming of ruminants in Brazil

“…There are also scientific reports on bothropic envenoming of horses in Brazil with the description of a fatal case in a foal (Raposo et al 2000(Raposo et al , 2001. In 2011, the envenoming of three horses was caused by a single specimen of Bothrops pauloensis (Chiacchio et al 2011). In Pará, another fatal case caused by bothropic envenoming was described in an equine (Silva et al 2011).…”

Acidente Ofídico Em Equino No Municipio De Ituverava-Sp Relato De Caso

“…É possível que alguns animais desenvolvam anemia ocasionada pela coagulopatia e diátese hemorrágica sendo assim necessário a realização da transfusão sanguínea (CHIACCHIO et al, 2011), o que foi necessário no paciente em questão,quando foi realizada a transfusão no terceiro dia de internação pelos valores hematológicos retromencionados. A resposta ao tratamento mostrou-se satisfatória tanto na clínica, quanto nos hemogramas subsequentes.…”