Therapeutic management of saw scaled viper (Echis carinatus) snake envenomation in a goat

Abstract

A three years old female non-descript goat was presented with the history of saw scaled viper snake bite over the face and subsequent dullness, anorexia, epistaxis and facial swelling. Fang marks and swelling over right cheek and lower jaw were noticed. Elevated temperature, tachycardia and tachypnoea were observed. Haematobiochemical parameters showed moderate anaemia and thrombocytopenia. The 20 minutes whole blood clotting test (20 WBCT) was prolonged. The goat was administered with two doses 10 ml of polyvalent snake venom antiserum with normal saline intravenously. Streptopenicillin and furosemide for three days and tetanus toxoid (0.5 ml) for one day were administered intramuscularly. The goat showed uneventful recovery.