This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Routine Horse Care » Particular Situations & Procedure topics not covered by above »
  Discussion on NEED SECOND OPINION ON RATTLE SNAKE BITE CARE
Author Message
Member:
Unis11

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2004 - 7:41 pm:

I have a yearling who was bitten by a prarie rattle snake on the nose 8 days ago. I treated him with benomine and bute and tubed his nose until vet could get here. He injected dexamethazone 2mg 10 and advised to use injected pennecillin for 2 days then tucoprim 200gr/btl until gone. We did a blood index pannel, CBC and found that there was a secondary infection going on, (this blood was drawn while in the middle of the tucoprim therapy). The yearling has lost weight, he choked yesterday but managed to make it through that. I have been advised that I should now consider IV DMSO due to the fact that he is not eating well, that there may be nerve damage on his nose that will not go away for a long time. I am not for DMSO as I had a vet administer it orally to the stomach of another horse last year and she lost a ton of weight and couldn't bear to eat anything and dunked her head in the water trough religiously. I also had a friend down the road who had the IV injection into a mare and she too lost weight and was miserable. I have told the vet that I am not for the DMSO. He told me that my yearling does not need to stay on antibiotic anymore. He suggested, then, that I give him 2 grams of bute per day or benamine, one or the other. But since my yearling is scared now of the injections he has recommended that I use the bute. Vet does not want me to use anymore steroids because of possible liver damage. Note" Blood panel came back finding no internal organ damage. I am feeding him Strategy pellets and grass alfalfa mix. His nose has decreased in swelling as if back to normal even though he is not. Should I be reconsidering the DMSO or is it possible that I could boost his system with some Vitamin B injections. What do you think about the bute every other day? If there is anything else I can do or you would suggest, would you please write back very soon? Thank you, Salley
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2004 - 8:47 pm:

My vet made a mixture to take orally with DMSO in it for my horses cough. He had no bad side effects from it and it worked great.
Member:
Lilo

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2004 - 9:21 pm:

Salley,
A friend of mine had her young gelding go through a rattlesnake bite on the nose. I can't remember the specific treatments, but I do remember that he had an elevated heart rate for quite some time afterward. He came through all of it OK, though. Just thought you might want to monitor the heart rate. Best of luck,
Lilo
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2004 - 7:05 am:

Since we do not know what specific problems and complications your horse is having we really do not know what treatments at this point would be appropriate. The fact that the horse choked suggest you have ongoing inflammatory problems and since such inflammation is probably being caused by tissue destruction, and if this is true continued antibiotic use would seem logical.

IV DMSO is a treatment that should have some antiinflammatory effects but is poorly studied. Bute is logical antiinflammatory therapy but should be administered daily.
DrO
Member:
Unis11

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2004 - 7:46 am:

Dr. O, Thank you for your response. How long do you think that I should administer the bute? And what do you think about feeding him any other feed to keep his weight up? I'd say he is 600-700 pds. Salley
P.S. I know I don't want to change his diet radically for the sake of founder but I am worried about the weight and we are expecting a fairly large spring snow storm to arrive today. He has shelter but no indoor shelter. Loafing shed.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Apr 23, 2004 - 7:03 am:

That too is a judgement made by exam and evaluation of the horse. The correct response is you administer it until the inflammation is under control.
DrO
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Friday, Apr 23, 2004 - 2:04 pm:

Salley: If he gets feed, you could mix it with water to a soupy consistancy, and place some good sized stones in his feed tub.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC