SNAKEBITES  AND  GOATS

Treat all snakebites as if they are life threatening to the goat.  Some snakebites are worse than others, but you likely won't know what kind of snake caused the bite.

Snakebites  close to the heart are usually the most dangerous.  Head bites are not as severe, because there is less blood supply to carry the venom to the rest of the body.  Leg and body bites cause  lots of swelling.  Swelling will spread over the body for several days as the bloodstream spreads  the toxin.   A snakebite above the hoof will cause swelling to occur up the leg and across the chest.

Note:  If any breed or crossbreed of dog  is bitten, you need a vet, especially with rattlesnake bites.   In my experience, dogs cannot survive rattlesnake bites without vet help.  A  dog needs snake anti-venom  administered immediately.

Dosages cited below are based upon a 100 pound goat.  You must adjust upwards or downwards  based upon the  weight of the goat that is being treated.

1)  Locate the bite  and clean it thoroughly with a disinfecting solution like  Betadine.   If you can't find the fang marks, move on to the next steps.

2)  Do NOT apply a tourniquet.   Do NOT bandage the bite(s).   Leave bites open and uncovered so drainage can occur. If the tissue begins to die, apply Trypzyme Spray (vet prescription) to help slough off necrotic (dead) tissue.   Copperhead snakebites are usually less poisonous than rattlesnakes; rattlesnake bites usually cause  necrosis (tissue death surrounding the bite).

3)  To reduce inflammation and swelling,   I  administer   8 cc Dexamethasone IM  (into the muscle)  on the first day.   On days 2  through 5,  I  give 7 cc,  5 cc,  3 cc, and 1 cc   Dexamethasone respectively.  "Dex"  is a vet prescription which you should always have on hand.   This cortico-steroid has many uses, but should never be administered casually.   Dex induces  labor in a pregnant doe.  Dex should always be stepped down when dosing and never stopped "cold turkey."  Buy a 100 ml bottle and keep it with your vet supplies.

4)  Administer  the antihistamine  Benadryl   orally every twelve hours,  totaling  at least  four dosages. WalMart's Equate brand is called "Diphedryl Allergy."  The tablets are 25 mg and you must   administer 1 mg per pound, so a 100 pound goat gets 100 mg orally per dosing  (4 tablets).

4)  Inject 5 cc of  penicillin SQ  daily for a minimum of  5 to 7  days.   I give penicillin SQ over the ribs, using an 18 gauge needle.

5)  If fever is present, I give 1 cc per 100 lbs bodyweight of Banamine IM or SQ every 12 hours until rectal temperature is back to normal (101.5* to 103.5* F).

6) Give the goat lots of fluids, preferably ReSorb or other electrolytes to flush  toxins  from the body.   Don't be alarmed if soft feces occurs. See my article on Diarrhea.  Diarrhea is a symptom of other problems and can be  a  way  for   the body  to cleanse   itself of toxins.

7) Green leaves, fresh grass hay, and even some legume hays are desirable. The snake-bitten goat is not likely to eat grain.

If a veterinarian is available, he  can give   the goat an IV solution of 10 cc of DMSO diluted in 60 cc Sterile Saline Solution.   Do NOT try this yourself.    IV administration of medications is best left to trained professionals, especially when DMSO is involved.

If the goat survives the first few hours, it is likely to survive the snakebite.

Suzanne W. Gasparotto, Onion Creek Ranch, Texas    7.1.24

The author, Suzanne Gasparotto, hereby grants to local goat publications and club newsletters, permission to reprint articles published on the Onion Creek Ranch website under these conditions: THE ARTICLE MUST BE REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THE AUTHOR'S NAME, ADDRESS, AND CONTACT INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE REPRINT. We would appreciate notification from any clubs or publications when the articles are used. (A copy of the newsletter or publication would also be a welcome addition to our growing library of goat related information!)

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