Common poisoning in dogs-snake venom poisoning

[etiology]

Snake venom poisoning refers to a poisoning phenomenon that occurs after being bitten by a snake. There are many kinds of venomous snakes, including 47 species in China, among which the most harmful ones are gold ring snake, silver ring snake, cobra, king cobra (big cobra), five-step snake, Agkistrodon halys, viper, tortoise shell snake, bamboo leaf green and sea snake. Among these venomous snakes, except that sea snakes are mainly distributed in coastal areas, most of them are distributed in the provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River, while there are only a few species of Agkistrodon halys, vipers, tortoise shell snakes and so on to the north of the Yangtze River.

The occurrence season of snake venom poisoning is related to the law of snake activity. The active period of southern snakes is generally from April to November, of which July to September is the most active, so the incidence of snake venom poisoning is the highest during this period. Hounds and police dogs, as a result of carrying out special tasks, enter grassy and wooded areas, and are easy to be bitten by snakes.

[main points of diagnosis]

The most common parts of dogs bitten by poisonous snakes are face, nose and limbs. The closer the bite site is to the rich central nervous system and blood vessels, the more severe the symptoms are. Its clinical symptoms often vary with different types of snake venom.

First, the venom of gold ring snake, silver ring snake and so on are all nerve poison. After the bite, the local symptoms such as less bleeding, redness, swelling, heat and pain are mild, but sharp systemic symptoms can occur within a few hours after the bite. The sick dog groaned in pain, agitation, muscle tremor, dysphagia, foaming at the mouth, dilated pupils, decreased blood pressure, dyspnea, arrhythmia, and finally limb paralysis, lying on the ground, and died of respiratory muscle paralysis and asphyxiation.

Second, the snake venom of Viper, Agkistrodon halys and Zhuyeqing are mostly blood-based poisons. Local symptoms are obvious, local sharp pain, bleeding, rapid swelling, purple-black, extreme edema, often necrosis, swelling quickly upward, generally after 6-8 hours can be extended to the whole head and neck, or to the whole limbs and even the back and waist. After toxin absorption, hematuria, hemoglobinuria, oliguria, urine closure, renal failure and chest hemorrhage occurred, and finally died of heart failure or shock.

Third, the venoms of cobras and king cobras are mostly mixed poisons. After the bite, the local symptoms such as redness and swelling, heat pain and necrosis are obvious. After the toxin was absorbed, the systemic symptoms were severe and complex, including all kinds of neurological symptoms caused by neurotoxin and various clinical manifestations caused by blood poisoning, and finally died of asphyxia or heart failure.

[treatment]

In order to prevent the spread of venom, ligate immediately above the wound (centripetal direction) after the bite, but should be loosened for 1-2 minutes every 15-20 minutes to avoid ischemia and necrosis. Rinse the bite part thoroughly with water or ammonia immediately, then prick or cut the wound with a triangular needle to make the venom outflow, and check if there are fangs in the wound, if there are fangs should be removed. Apply Ji Desheng snake medicine, Nantong snake medicine, or take one-horned lotus root, seven-leaf lotus, Hedyotis diffusa and so on, mash it with vinegar and wine, and apply to the affected area. 1% potassium permanganate solution, hydrogen peroxide or pepsin solution was injected around the bite, or sealed with 0.25-0.5% procaine solution.

In order to destroy the absorbed toxin, monovalent or multivalent antivenom can be injected slowly.

In addition, the injured site should be cold compress, the use of painkillers, to prevent secondary infection and other symptomatic treatment.