297. A Retrospective Review of Coral Snake Envenomation in the Dog and Cat: 20 cases 1996 to 2011

Pérez, Mayrim L.; Fox, Karlie J.; Schaer, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.04.298

Cited by 1 publication

(13 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…All 93 of these coral snake encounters occurred in Florida, with each month of the year represented at least once, supporting the premise that coral snake exposure occurs year-round in this particular geographic location. With almost 100 cases in two years, this study documents a significant increase in reporting of coral snake exposure in small animals, which contrasts with previous veterinary case reports from the same Florida institution that documented only 20 cases over 15 years [8]. These changes may be explained by the increases in pet population, general awareness of coral snake toxicity, referral by primary veterinarians, motivation to seek veterinary care by owners, and expansion of urban development into natural habitats of coral snakes.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 95%

“…Clinical signs of coral snake envenomation are similar in dogs, cats, and humans, including generalized neuromuscular weakness, ptyalism, vomiting, and respiratory depression [6][7][8]. Respiratory paralysis represents the major cause of death in dogs and humans, and treatment consists of antivenom, mechanical ventilation, and supportive care [8,9]. Dogs are reported to also develop hemolysis due to differences in erythrocyte cell wall composition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dogs are reported to also develop hemolysis due to differences in erythrocyte cell wall composition. The phospholipase-A2 in coral snake venom induces intravascular hemolysis in mice and dog erythrocytes via hydrolysis of the phospholipids in the erythrocyte membrane [8,10]. In contrast, humans, cats, and rabbits resist phospholipase-A2-induced hemolysis due to lower ratios of phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin in the erythrocyte plasma membrane [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are limited data on coral snake envenomation in veterinary patients, especially cats. Current treatment and monitoring recommendations in the United States are largely based on human data and a retrospective study of 20 cases from 1996 to 2011, which proposed a protocol for early antivenom administration to dogs before the onset of clinical signs [8]. While this may have resulted in some dogs receiving antivenom unnecessarily, this has traditionally been accepted as a better outcome than the development of respiratory paralysis and the need for MV.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While pet insurance has become more popular in recent years, current estimates report that less than half of pet owners in the U.S have pet insurance, leaving many owners to pay for veterinary care out-of-pocket. Additionally, monitoring recommendations from human medicine and reports of delayed hemolysis in dogs 36 to 72 h after exposure have led to the general recommendation for monitoring veterinary patients for a minimum of 48 h [2,6,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Retrospective Evaluation of Clinical and Clinicopathologic Findings, Case Management, and Outcome for Dogs and Cats Exposed to Micrurus fulvius (Eastern Coral Snake): 92 Cases (2021–2022)

Sullivan,

Aasen,

Fisher

et al. 2024

Toxins

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This retrospective, observational study describes the clinical findings, case management trends, and outcomes of 83 dogs and nine cats exposed to eastern coral snakes in a university teaching hospital setting. The medical records of dogs and cats that received antivenom following coral snake exposure were reviewed. Data collected included signalment, time to antivenom administration, physical and laboratory characteristics at presentation, clinical course during hospitalization, length of hospitalization, and survival to discharge. The mean time from presentation to coral snake antivenom administration was 2.26 ± 1.46 h. Excluding cases where the owner declined in-hospital care, the mean hospitalization time for dogs and cats was 50.8 h and 34 h, respectively. The mean number of antivenom vials was 1.29 (1–4). Gastrointestinal signs (vomiting and ptyalism) occurred in 42.2% (35/83) of dogs and 33.3% (3/9) of cats. Peripheral neurologic system deficits (ataxia, paresis to plegia, absent reflexes, and hypoventilation) were noted in 19.6% (18/92) of dogs and cats. Hemolysis was also common in 37.9% (25/66) of dogs but was not observed in cats. Mechanical ventilation (MV) was indicated in 12% (10/83) of dogs but no cats. Acute kidney injury (AKI), while rare, was a common cause of euthanasia at 20% (2/5) and was the most common complication during MV at 44.4% (4/9). Pigmenturia/hemolysis occurred in 88.9% (8/9) of MV cases and in all cases with AKI. Despite delays in antivenom administration by several hours, dogs and cats with coral snake exposure have low mortality rates (6% of dogs (5/83) and 0% of cats). Gastrointestinal signs were common but were not predictive of progression to neurological signs. Thus, differentiating between coral snake exposure and envenomation before the onset of neurological signs remains challenging.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 95%