Abstract
The present study reports a snakebite in a horse in the state of Pará, Brazil. At initial evaluation the animal was reluctant to walk and had tachycardia, tachypnea, severe lameness, bleeding on the pastern and swelling around the left hind leg. Blood samples from the bleeding sites, took on the first day, showed leukocytosis and neutrophilia, whereas biochemical values of urea and creatinine were significantly increased. The chosen treatment was snake antivenom, fluid therapy, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents and diuretic drugs. On the fourth day of therapy, the hematological values were within normal parameters. There was improvement related to the clinical lameness and swelling of the limb. However, a decrease in water intake and oliguria were observed. On the seventh day the animal died. Necropsy revealed areas of hemorrhagic edema in the left hind limb and ventral abdomen; the kidneys presented equimosis in the capsule, and when cut they were wet. Moreover, the cortex was pale, slightly yellow and the medullary striae had the same aspect. Based on these data, we concluded that the snakebite in the present study was caused by Bothrops spp. and that renal failure contributed to death.
Highlights
Farmers, ranchers, and field veterinarians believe that snakebites are a common cause of death among farm animals, which provoke great economic losses
In São Paulo, a more accurate assessment showed that 85.6% of the snakebites were caused by Bothrops [5]; a study conducted in the south of Minas Gerais state found that most envenomations were caused by Crotalus durissus [6]
Given the scarcity of literature data on snakebites in farm animals, this paper aims to describe the clinical, pathological and laboratory changes in a case of snakebite in a horse in the city of Castanhal, Pará state, Brazil
Summary
The Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases ISSN 1678-9199 | 2011 | volume 17 | issue 4 | pages 496-500. Silva NS [1], Silveira JAS [1], Albernaz TT [1], Campos KF [1], Oliveira CMC [1], Freitas NFQR [1], Bomjardim HA [1], Barbosa JD [1]. (1) Veterinary Diagnostic Center (CEDIVET), Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Castanhal, Pará State, Brazil
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