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  Discussion on Snake bite symptoms
Author Message
Member:
Toloughl

Posted on Monday, Feb 27, 2006 - 8:00 pm:

I was just wondering if someone could tell me what symptoms a horse will present generally if bitten by a snake.
Member:
Wgillmor

Posted on Monday, Feb 27, 2006 - 10:45 pm:

I can tell you specifically what my horse looked like after a rattlesnake bite. He was bitten in the nose, you could see the two fang marks where it broke the skin. The lower part of his head swelled almost up to this eyes. The best description is that he looked like Bullwinkle, not the handsome Trakehner he is.

He had considerable trouble breathing for a few hours, and my understanding is that this is the greatest danger to horses bitten in the nose.

We treated with anti-venom, anti-inflamatories and anti-biotics. He appeared normal in a week.

Wiley
Member:
Toloughl

Posted on Monday, Feb 27, 2006 - 11:21 pm:

Oh my goodness, Wiley - that must've looked really weird! My 2yo QH filly has stocked up on all four legs and whilst I don't think she's been bitten by a snake, I just thought there could be a possibility 'cause it is the season for it here in Australia. She stocked up yesterday morning and today her front legs are down but her off hind is worse. We do have the vet coming out, but I just thought I'd see what the symptoms were. I would've thought that she'd be lethargic or something like that if she was bitten, but she seems to be fine in herself.
Member:
Wgillmor

Posted on Monday, Feb 27, 2006 - 11:56 pm:

I'm no expert but it doesn't sound like snake bite to me. For one, I wouldn't expect bites in all four legs. If bitten somewhere above I would expect considerable swelling at the site of the bite.

I certainly hope it isn't a bite in the legs. The vets here say that a bite there often results in considerable tissue death leading to permanent lameness. In some cases the horse even had to be put down. They all agreed that, if given the choice, they would take a bite in the nose where there is a good blood supply to promote healing. There the major risk is short term due to inability to breathe.
Wiley
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - 8:48 am:

Hello Tracey,
I too do not believe this is a snake bite or any type of invenomnation. While you might get swelling all the way around you would have a focal area of pain and extra swelling. For more on what could cause your symptoms see Equine Diseases » Skin Diseases » Swellings / Localized Infection / Abscesses » Diagnosing and Assessing Swellings in Horses.
DrO
Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - 9:41 am:

Tracey, is it the paralyzing effect that a snake bite can have that made you consider that?

I lived in Australia as a kid and one of my cats was bitten by a brown snake--it paralzyed his legs, mostly in the back. He recovered after treatment but was always kind of slow after that.

Dr O, do snake bites have different effects on different species?
Member:
Cpacer

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - 9:46 am:

ps. not to make you think that's what happened to your horse Tracey, there were definitely other symptoms which it sounds like your horse does not have.
Member:
Toloughl

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - 5:29 pm:

Yeah, I'm thinking it wasn't snake bite either but I thought I'd better just check. I would've thought that she'd at least be lethargic or some other type of symptom but the fact that she is okay in herself, to me seems to rule it out. It looks like it could be a strep thing. The vet took some blood so we'll see what that shows up. Thanks for all your advice guys.
Member:
Vickiann

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 - 6:38 pm:

Have known of horses belonging to friends whose horses reportedly experienced leg swelling all around due to ingestion of young, new or wilted black or laurel cherry tree leaves and moldy vegetables. Banamine helped clear the problem rather quickly in those instances.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Mar 1, 2006 - 7:10 am:

Different species of snake have different types of venom and animals of similar sizes will react similarity to a bite by the same specie of snake. How serious a bite is probably has more to do with the size of the animal than the specie, though there may be exceptions.
DrO
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