Another rattlesnake attack

[PrestigeMiniHorses]

Thank goodness you caught it when you did... Talk about crazy... Snakes scare me.. Haven't seen any lately around here so god only knows. I will be praying for your boy..

 

[wildoak]

Margo, rattlesnake vaccine is given yearly, it's very affordable - I think about $25 or less - and judging by my two dogs, very much worth it. I hope they come out with a similar vaccine for horses, not that we don't vaccinate them to the gills already but that's one I think I might give in our area.

Minimor, she did not happen to mention that about banamine - thanks for the heads up. She did say to inject it - I asked specifically since I give it orally now to horses. I've only given one dose of it, to the old girl. She sleeps in the garage and she made it through the night but I haven't looked closely to see if it made her sick.

Jan

 

[Marsha Cassada]

[SIZE=10pt]Just checked with the vet this afternoon and he said the swelling is somewhat reduced --after 48 hours-- though he wants to keep him a little longer. [/SIZE]

My vet is rather a silent man and it is difficult to talk to him. Sometimes I don't know why I keep going to him, as he frequently makes me feel as though I am imposing when I ask questions. The clinic is closed for the holiday weekend and I have been so worried, as I wasn't able to check on Dusty in person. I thought he would be in the clinic, along with the boarded dogs, lonesome and suffering. Today the vet told me he had taken Dusty home with him, so he could be watched more closely. Now I know why I keep going back to him! I feel so much better knowing he is being closely monitored at the vet's home. If the vet just weren't the strong, silent type and told me that in the first place, I would have felt a lot better!

He always gives an itemized bill, so I will be interested to see what treatments Dusty was given.

Some calves and several dogs have come in lately with snakebite. Dusty was the first bitten horse he'd seen so far this year. Both local vets also have older dogs that suffered a stroke. Perhaps the heat triggered it.

 

[jjnov]

My big draft x got bite by a spider 2 weeks ago on his leg, his leg swelled up about the size of a 2 year old. I just started to ride him again.

 

[jegray21]

Your Dusty is in our prayers

 

[Marsha Cassada]

We were able to bring Dusty home this morning--hurrah! The vet said he thought he was going to loose him the day after the bite. He had to make incisions on his muzzle to release the swelling. He is able to graze now, and drink, and his eyes are not swollen shut any more. His face is a mess, of course, and I will be hydroing him several times a day, and we will give him the antibiotic the rest of the week. Dapper Dan was so glad to see him, he ran around like a maniac and got Dusty all stirred up, so I had to put DD in the corral. I am letting Dusty graze quietly for a while, then will confine him to keep him quiet. I cannot tell, yet, where the puncture wounds are.

Thanks to everyone for your good thoughts for him.

 

[Katiean]

Glad to hear he is home.

:BananaHappy I hope if he sees another snake he will back away. I had a big horse as a kid that would stomp on snakes and kill them. All though it is smarter to just avoid them all together no matter what kind they are.

 

[crponies]

Such good news! I bet it is so good to have your boy home again and on the mend.

 

[cretahillsgal]

YEA!!! So glad that he got to come home! And is on the mend. It sounds like he had a rough time of it. Maybe it was a tiny snake. Supposedly the babies have more potent venom.

So far, I have had 2 horses bit and have only been able to find the bite marks on one of them. I could have sworn that I heard a rattler out in our pasture the other night. I was so worried about the horses that I got the shotgun and flashlight and went hunting for it. (Not smart I know) I never did find it and couldnt hear it any more so finally gave up. Hopefully it was just moving through.

 

[wildoak]

Marsha, great news - glad to hear your boy is home and healing! Incredible what the venom does to them. I've only seen a couple of horses after the fact - one died, the other was a big horse who was bitten on the leg and survived. After our dog experience I am looking forward to a rattlesnake vaccine for horses.

Jan

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Well, I am a little concerned this morning and will call the vet. He seemed all right yesterday, grazing and he did poop. He has not pooped for more than 12 hours and is chewing constantly. He is out to graze, but is not grazing. he did not eat his alfalfa last night. He is roaming around, almost restlessly. I tried to give him a dose of banamine this morning, but couldn't get the syringe in his mouth very well. I put it on my hand and tried to at least get some on his tongue. The swelling does seem a little reduced. My husbnad gave him the penicillin shot before he headed off to work. I am not sure we are out of the woods yet. I think I will ask the vet about ulcers. I have never dealt with them before and am not sure I would recognize the signs.

I took some photos, but decided not to post them, as they are somewhat gruesome. The fang marks indicate a large snake; the holes are over an inch apart and nearly the size of a pencil eraser.

 

[wildoak]

Marsha, ask your vet first but - we have had success in getting the swelling down using DMSO and Dex topically, and Benedryl orally along with the antibiotics. Sure hoped to hear he was doing better. Is he running any fever? Imagine ulcers would certainly be a risk and that is something pretty easy to treat assuming Gastroguard doesn't interfere with any meds you might have him on.

He may also just not be able to graze yet with all the swelling and discomfort, you might try making him a mash of some kind that is easier to get down. Our female JRT that got hit so hard just started eating again last night, and it's still hard for her.

Good luck,

Jan

 

[cretahillsgal]

Oh Dear!!! I bet ulcers are a big possibility. Especially if he has gotten alot of antibiotics/banamine. I always start my horses on ProBios immediately if I give them either one. I have used Gastro Gard in the past for ulcers and it worked okay. And I know some people use the human over the counter meds. And his mouth may still be very sore to chew too.

When Stormy was bit the vet DID use a version of Benadryl on her for the swelling. I have heard that it would not work, but something did. As Stormy's face swelling was gone in a couple of days. And all she got was pennicillin, banamine, and the antihistamine stuff.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I am not supposed to give him the banamine unless I feel he really needs it, as he has had a lot already. I've left him out to wander around the yard and graze all day. The other horse can chat over the fence, but I've kept them separated. He seems better this afternoon. The vet said the chewing is caused by the dying tissue in the mouth.

Here is the bill. I thought it was interesting that it is a sort of chronology of his three day stay at the vet. I am not sure what all the medicatons are; I will have to look them up. Every vet has a different way of dealing with bites, I think.

Looking back, I wish we had tried to put the tube in his nose before taking him to the vet. We bought one to keep on hand for this very thing. I'm not sure we could have done it, but I wish we'd tried.

 

[smlotsocats]

Here in AZ rattlesnakes are numerous. I got myself a few guinea hens and I have not seen one snake (knock on wood) this year. I have chickens and they would alert me to the snake but they won't attack it. They just pointed them out so I could kill it! Guineas eat snakes and they patrol our whole 4 1/2 acre property eating grasshoppers, bugs and apparently the snakes. I haven't even seen a snake track across the driveway at all this year. Yes, they are noisy birds but they do alert you when something or someone is around when they shouldn't be and they are very persistent! Plus, guineas eat ticks too, we don't have that problem but I guess back east there is a big problem with the deer ticks making people sick too. I just got some turkeys too, I don't know if they eat snakes but they are protective of their territory and do a lot of patroling. I have very very few flies as well. The last two years there would be a huge cloud of flies in the barn aisle during the day despite fly spraying and stall cleaning, this year, no huge fly swarms and the horses aren't all picked at by the flies.

Guinea hens, just an idea.

 

[twister]

So glad your boy is back home, I hope he recovers quickly from his bite. Hope Jans dogs do too

Yvonne

 

[HGFarm]

These are plentiful here in AZ, but we had even more in eastern Oregon!! It does normally take 48 hours before the swelling starts to reduce. My mare that was bitten a few years ago right on the nose also weeped from her eyes, the site of the bite, etc.... it is gross and sad to watch. Thank heavens your horse was still able to breathe!! I caught mine within a minute after it happened and was able to tube the other side of her nose and that is all that kept mine breathing for a couple of days! It was so sad to see her, though she never lost her appetite. She could not close her mouth at all til the swelling started to subside and was so pathetic. I could hear her sucking air through the tube from yards away. One week later, you would never have known she had been bit and foaled a fabulous few spot Appy colt for me!! Of course I named him Snakecharmer!

My neighbors lost a filly out of two that got bit because of the damage the venom did to internal organs, but the other one was ok.

I sure hope your little guy does ok- I'm sure he will and he is in good hands. I bet in a week you wont even know he was bit! Keep us posted and sending prayers he will do fine!!

Darned snakes!!

 

[barnbum]

So glad your little guy is fine. Very fair prices too!!

 

[ljc]

I'm holding good thoughts for your boy. Sounds like he had wonderful care at the vet and you're doing a super job. Having been through a snake bit with a horse before (not a mini), I know a little bit of what you're going through.

On a side note, I am absolutely STUNNED at your vet bill. It is so reasonable. Out here in Southern California, those same services and treatments would have easily have passed $1,000 and probably getting closer to 2K or 3K. A normal vet call is $60; an emergency is $120. You can go from there ...

 

[ClickMini]

Our bills would run in the thousands for this kind of treatment as well. Your vet even taking him to his home to care for him! WOW. I am still sending prayers for your guy's return to good health.