Accidente ofídico en un perro (canis familiaris) y su tratamiento en Michelena, Táchira, Venezuela: reporte de caso

We report the case of an ophidian accident caused by a Bothrops sp. snake to an adult mixed breed dog, an accident that occurred in a veterinary clinic in the city of Michelena, Táchira state, Venezuela. The venom inoculated by the bite caused hemorrhages, pain, inflammation, edema, bleeding, lethargy, and necrosis of muscles and tissues in the dog's left hind leg from the metatarsus to the lumbosacral region. With the urgency of the case, treatment started with washing and cleaning the wound area, intravenous hydration, injections of one daily dose of polyvalent antivenom with a total of 5 doses, control of hemorrhages with vitamin K injections, prevention of anaphylactic reactions with dexamethasone, and avoiding possible bacterial infections with antibiotics; The combined action of these treatments prevented the death of the dog, nonetheless that the venom of Bothrops sp. snakes has specific enzymes and proteins that caused inflammatory, proteolytic action, and necrosis of the muscles and other tissues. In Venezuela, the cases of snake bites in humans are high. Between 1996 and 2004, 53,792 cases of snakebite accidents were diagnosed. There is no data available on these accidents in dogs and cats, but it is estimated that they are also frequent events. Táchira, a Venezuelan state in the Andean mountain range, bordering the Santander del Norte department of Colombia, is the Andean state with the highest incidence of snakebite cases in humans and pets, such as the one described in this case report.