Rattlesnake Bites
Reading Time: 5 minutes
Learn the signs of rattlesnake bites, how to treat them, and what not to do if you find your goat suffering from one of these painful bites.
If you find your goat with a muzzle swollen two or three times its normal size, you might first think it was stung by a bee or bitten by a spider. However, if you see two fang marks near the nose, it may be a rattlesnake bite, and quick action is required.
Rattlesnakes are a type of pit viper and belong to one of two families of venomous snakes indigenous to the United States — the Crotalids. These biting snakes can be found in all states except Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, and Rhode Island. Pit vipers cause 99% of all snake bites in the U.S., and rattlesnakes cause the most fatalities.
All rattlesnakes, except the Santa Catalina rattlesnake, have rattles made of keratin on the end of the tail. Like all pit vipers, rattlesnakes have retractable fangs, oval eyes, heat-sensing indentations between the nostrils and eyes, and triangular heads.
Facts and Myths Regarding Rattlesnake Bites
Myth:
Rattlesnakes are of greatest concern from April through October.
Fact:
It’s a myth that the venom is more toxic in the summertime; the reality is that the snakes release the most venom during the hottest times of the year. In addition, rattlesnakes become more aggressive in the hot weather.
Myth:
Baby snakes are more venomous than adults.
Fact:
Toxicity varies among rattlesnakes, even within the same species, and older snakes have more venom than juveniles. Another factor affecting the amount of venom released is how much time has elapsed since it previously bit. It takes up to 21 days for a rattlesnake to replenish its venom. A dead rattlesnake is also dangerous, capable of emptying the entirety of its venom all at once — even if it’s been decapitated — for several hours after it’s deceased.
Myth:
Rattlesnakes always rattle before striking.
Fact:
They don’t.
Factors in Survival
Only one case report dealing with three goats discusses the effect of rattlesnake bites on caprines, but impacts on other animals can also be instructive. The following factors were found to make a difference in survival:
- Initial health of the goat — e.g., the one goat that died was infected with lungworm.
- Where the bite occurred — animals bitten on the leg generally fare much better than those bitten on the face (the two most common sites).
- The time elapsed between bite and treatment — the sooner treatment begins, the better chance that the venom hasn’t spread throughout the system.
- Treatment with antivenin.
Signs of a Rattlesnake Bite
The venom in a rattlesnake bite is meant to put the victim out of action and break down the tissues rather than kill it. While mostly water, the venom contains several enzymes, proteins, and peptides. The combination of these enzymes and proteins acting together leads to a variety of effects on the prey.
The first signs of a rattlesnake bite are usually puncture wounds, pain, and swelling of the area; however, these local signs may be absent in rattlesnakes with only neurotoxic venom. Other signs include weakness and refusal to get up (recumbency), difficult or fast breathing (tachypnea), fever (hyperthermia), and rapid heartbeat (tachycardia).
The venom can also cause tissue death (necrosis), excess bleeding, problems with clotting, and a loss of hemoglobin. In horses, long-term effects on the heart have been found even after treatment.
goat recovered from her bite and is still in
good health. Photos by: Tia Temple.
Treatment
In the report of three goats, initial treatment consisted of antibiotics (procaine penicillin), anti-inflammatories (flunixin meglumine), and fluid therapy (Ringer’s lactate). The authors also discussed using corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, and one goat received antivenin.
While the use of antibiotics is controversial in treating humans for snakebites, snakes can carry a variety of bacteria in their mouths, so their use may be justified. The gold standard in treatment is to slowly infuse antivenin intravenously as soon as possible and monitor the patient for at least 8 hours. This is a problem if antivenin isn’t available. It’s also expensive; a vial can range from $400 to thousands of dollars, so a goat owner must determine whether the goat is worth the cost.
In humans, the average minimum number of vials required for a venomous snake bite is 12, and 75 were needed in one case. It’s unknown how many vials would be necessary for a goat, but it’s partly dependent on body weight. The earlier antivenin is administered, the less is needed. Allergic reactions to the antivenin can also occur in rare cases.
What NOT to do for a rattlesnake bite:
- Wait to see if it gets worse before calling the vet
- Ice or heat the wound
- Cut the wound and try to suck out the blood
- Apply a tourniquet
- Give aspirin
Rattlesnake bites in goats are unusual but not unheard of. When one does occur, timely treatment is essential. If one of your goats is bitten, try to keep it calm to avoid speeding the spread of the venom throughout the body, and seek veterinary care immediately.
CHERYL K. SMITH has raised mini dairy goats in the Coast Range of Oregon since 1998. She owns Karmadillo Press and is the author of Raising Goats for Dummies, Goat Health Care, Goat Midwifery, and Shed Boy, the first in a series of cozy mysteries set on a goat farm. www.GoatHealthCare.com
REFERENCES
- Brien, JH. 2009. “A 5-year-old boy with rattlesnake bite.” Infectious Diseases in Children 22(4): 12–13.
- Gilliam, LL, et al. 2012. “Cardiotoxicity, Inflammation, and Immune Response after Rattlesnake Envenomation in the Horse.” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 26(6): 1457–63.
- Peterson, ME. 2006. “Snake Bite: Pit Vipers.” Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice 174–182. doi:10.1053/j.ctsap.2006.10.008.
- Smith, J, D Kovalik and A Varga. 2015. “Rattlesnake Envenomation in Three Dairy Goats.” Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine. doi.org/10.1155/2015/787534.
- www.farmersweekly.co.za/agritechnology/ farming-for-tomorrow/ treating-snake-bites/
Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
