Snake envenomation is a cause of morbidity and mortality in domestic animals worldwide. The clinical features of crotalid snake (pit viper) envenomation are widely reported and well described in horses but elapid snake envenomation is poorly characterised.
To describe the presentation, clinical and laboratory findings, treatment and outcome of horses with a diagnosis of elapid snake envenomation in Australia.
Retrospective case series.
Medical records of horses with a diagnosis of elapid snake envenomation (2006-2016) at several university and private veterinary practices were reviewed. Inclusion criteria comprised one or more of the following: (1) observed snakebite, (2) positive snake venom detection kit (SVDK) result, (3) appropriate clinical response to treatment with antivenom or (4) supportive post mortem findings.
Fifty-two cases met the inclusion criteria. Most cases (94%) demonstrated clinical signs of neurotoxicity, characterised by generalised neuromuscular weakness. Associated neurologic signs included staggering gait, muscle fasciculations, recumbency, mydriasis, ptosis and tongue paresis. Concurrent clinically important conditions included rhabdomyolysis (50%) and haemolysis (19%). Of 18 urine samples evaluated with a SVDK, only three (17%) were positive. Overall survival was favourable (86%) among 49 horses that received antivenom. Eighteen surviving horses (43%) required more than one vial of antivenom.
Possible cases within the searchable database were not included if horses died acutely or responded to symptomatic treatment without receiving antivenom.
Elapid snake envenomation is primarily a syndrome of neuromuscular weakness. Supportive anamnesis or an obvious bite site are rarely encountered. In endemic areas, this diagnosis should be considered for horses with generalised neuromuscular weakness, altered mentation, rhabdomyolysis and/or haemolysis; especially during spring and summer months. Diagnostic suspicion is best confirmed by response to treatment with antivenom. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 2. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 19 April 2022.
All research outputs
#20,030,592
of 29,602,031 outputs
Outputs from Equine Veterinary Journal
#1,663
of 2,473 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#208,435
of 332,865 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Equine Veterinary Journal
#23
of 40 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 29,602,031 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 30th percentile – i.e., 30% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,473 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.7. This one is in the 31st percentile – i.e., 31% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 332,865 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 34th percentile – i.e., 34% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 40 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 35th percentile – i.e., 35% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
