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Discussion on Rattlesnake bite on nose
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Member:
Unis11
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 - 10:35 pm:
My 1 year old got a rattle snake bite on his nose this afternoon. He puffed up and I got a garden hose in one of his nostrils. It has fallen out and I can not get it back in...he won't let me. I have given him banamine and bute and pennicillin. He is breathing on his own but not regular. It is dark we are way out in the country and all vets have said that what i have done is all that can be done unless I take him into the hospital. Is there anything else I can do and when will he be out of the woods? Help!
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 - 11:29 pm:
Sally, just don't panic. I know its late and you are looking for some real time advice. Problem is this site isn't always realtime. I just happened to be up and checked my email.
What did the vets say to you regarding treatment? and all that can be done? How far are you from an equine hospital? Labored breathing how bad?
Would constant walking help the horse? Keep him moving around and keep giving the bute?
As for the garden hose. Have you tried to twitch him? Twitching the ear sometimes is enough to get him to calm down, and reinsert the tube. And I have done it with my hand (and some help holding) just enough to cause that calming effect. But since he was bitten on the snout i don't think twitching there is going to be helpful.
You need to call the vet again and have him talk you thru it if tubing is essential to his survival.
Good luck
Keep posting
jojo
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Member:
Cowgrl
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 - 1:46 pm:
If you can't get the hose in, try inserting drinking straws if you have them available. I read in Western Horseman that these will work too. Anything to get air into him.
Good luck. Hope all turns out okay.
Holly
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 - 10:43 pm:
Hello Sally,
Maintaining a patent airway in a case like this really requires professional help. I do not see how straws would be of benefit (maybe bunch them together?) and might very well not reach far enough back as the naso-pharynx may be the area most likely to swell shut. I know this is 24 hours later but if the horse is still having trouble breathing get a vet to him.
DrO
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Member:
Bonita
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 15, 2004 - 8:54 am:
Dr. O - isn't some sort of antivenom used to treat poisonous snake bites in animals? I could definitely be wrong, but I find it odd that the vet(s) in this case felt it unnecessary to come out & treat this horse somehow.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Apr 16, 2004 - 6:37 am:
There is such a antivenom for people but because we only get the much milder copperhead bites around here, I am not personally familiar with its use. I will see if I can find more information on it but in a case where respiratory impairment is so common I too am surprised that the posters regular veteriarian would not go see the horse.
DrO
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Member:
Bonita
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Posted on Friday, Apr 16, 2004 - 8:42 am:
Thanks! We here in the northern Piedmont of Virginia also pretty much just have the Copperhead as our main poisonous reptile, although apparently as one gets closer to the mountains there are Timber Rattlers as well.
I was just surprised as the few times small animal/livestock have been reported with snakebite around here, a vet has always been in attendance pretty darn quickly.
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