P.P.A.H.
Rattlesnake Bites - A guide to treatment and prevention...
Additional Information
Why are rattlesnake bites so dangerous?
Rattlesnakes have two toxins of concern. The most immediate concern is due
to the hemotoxin, which causes the inability to clot blood and a drop in platelet
count. The second concern is due to the necrotoxin, which causes surrounding
tissues to die and slough. Also of concern is managing wound infection.
What is Antivenin?
It is a serum which is produced to counteract the effects of the snake injected
venom. It is produced using healthy horses which are injected with increasing
amounts of selected non-fatal snake venom. This gradually causes the horse
to make antibodies, which are then extracted via a small amount of blood. The
antibodies are then separated out and purified.
Tell me more about the treatment process
Treatment generally includes 1-3 days of hospitalization, intravenous fluids, intravenous antibiotics, and pain management. An intravenous injection of antivenin is helpful in most cases, but it can be quite expensive usually costing about $450.00 per bottle at our hospital.
Antivenin is safely given under a doctor’s supervision and allergic reactions
to the antivenin are very rarely seen. During treatment for a rattlesnake bite,
red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts are closely monitored.
Sometimes in more severe cases a second or even third round of antivenin is
recommended. After the most critical period of the first 2-3 days, most dogs
are ready to be released to go home. They usually require some form of antibiotic
as well as wound care to help prevent infection.
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