Goat: SNAKEBITE (Copperhead~updated) (It's Socrates)

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

He needs antivenin if they have it for goats!

 

[elevan]

Benedryl would have been my only helpful advise. I'm praying for the best outcome!

 

[DonnaBelle]

He will need antibiotics and other meds. Snake bite may not kill him but infection will set in. Call the vet and take him in if you can.

DonnaBelle

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

He will need antibiotics and other meds. Snake bite may not kill him but infection will set in. Call the vet and take him in if you can.

DonnaBelle

I believe the vet is there already.


RTG - Sending prayers your way for that silly goat. Silly or not, he does not deserve this.

 

[terrilhb]

It does not say what it does. Just that she has used it successfully. Also she gives Vitamin A and D. She lives in Australia. I put Socrates on a site I belong to for prayers and you too.

 

[autumnprairie]

SOCRATES YOU BETTER BE OK BUD or RTG is going to be really upset with you.
sending prayers your way I hope you and Socrates are ok really

 

[marlowmanor]

Waiting on an update about Socrates. Hopefully all is well with you and him.

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

prayers sent... Let's hope this funny boy makes it!

 

[marlowmanor]

Here's some info I found when I googles "treating snakebite in goats"
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/snakebite.html
From that link here is the treatment info they give.

Snakebite from any snake can be life threatening to a goat. Do not worry about the kind of snake that did the biting. Treat every snakebite as if it came from the most poisonous of snakes. Find the bite(s) and clean them thoroughly with a disinfecting solution such as Betadine Surgical Scrub. Do NOT apply a tourniquet. Medicate as follows, based up a 100 pound animal (adjust upwards or downwards based on goat's body weight):

1) Give 8 cc Dexamethazone IM on the first day. Follow with 5 cc Dexamethazone on days Two through Five. "Dex" is available through veterinarians and costs about $10.00 for a 100 ml bottle.

Do NOT use "Dex" indiscriminately. It can be a very dangerous drug. A goat must be "weaned" off it rather than taken off cold turkey.

2) Administer 40 cc of Benadryl (each 5 ml contains 12.5% Diphenhydramine HCl ) every twelve hours for four dosages. WalMart's Equate brand is called "Diphedryl Allergy."

3) Inject 8 cc of long-acting Benzathine pencillin IM daily for seven days. Do not discontinue these injections before th seven days has passed.

4) Give the goat lots of fluids, preferably ReSorb or other electrolytes to flush as much toxin from the body as quickly as possible and reduce fever. Don't be alarmed if soft feces occurs. See my article on Diarrhea which states that diarrhea is a symptom of other problems and a way for the body to rid itself of toxins.

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

6) Do NOT bandage the bite(s). Leave them open so drainage can occur. If the tissue begins to die, apply Trypzyme Spray (vet prescription) to help slough off necrotic (dead) tissue.

Head bites are much less severe, as there is less blood supply to carry the venom to the rest of the body. Leg and body bites result in lots of swelling. Swelling will spread over the body for several days as the bloodstream disburses the toxin. A snakebite above the hoof will cause swelling to occur up the leg and across the chest.

If a veterinarian is available, he/she might also give the goat an IV solution of 10 cc of DMSO diluted in 60 cc Sterile Saline Solution. However, this writer does NOT recommend that the typical goat producer do this. IV administration of medications is, in my opinion, best left to professionals.

If the goat survives the first few hours, he/she is likely to survive the snakebite.

 

[daisychick]

Really really hoping everything is ok!