RESUMO

Background: Snake attacks on sheep, horses, cattle and, most frequently, dogs, have previously been described but few of these cases involve highly lethal poison, especially with farm animals. In Brazil, most attacks on humans involving poisonous snakes are related to the genus Bothrops sp. Information about snakebites in sheep is usually obtained from experiments. There are few reports of natural cases and their clinical and pathological characteristics. The aim of the present study was to report the clinical and pathological characteristics of two spontaneous cases of snake envenomation in sheep. Case: Two sheep were sent to the UFSM Veterinary Hospital after being found in the lateral decubitus position by their owner. The two sheep came from a farm located near the University. The animals were subjected to a thorough clinical examination. Blood was collected from one animal for a hemogram and biochemical tests. The animals died about two hours after their arrival at the veterinary hospital. During the necropsy, the first ewe exhibited severe dyspnea, swelling of the submandibular and periorbital regions, and unilateral nasal serosanguineous secretion. The second animal exhibited nasal and ocular bilateral bleeding, hematoma and intense gingival bleeding. The left eye was completely obliterated. In the blood and serum analysis, this animal exhibited a low content of plasma proteins. During the clinical examination, both animals exhibited severe swelling and a hemorrhage in the head suggested snakebite. The tissue samples were fixed in formaldehyde, routinely processed for the histology and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The owner reported the presence of Bothrops alternatus snakes on the farm. Discussion: Most cases of snakebite occur in spring and summer. Severe edema and bleeding are characteristic of snakebites from the genus Bothrops sp. Sakebites involving sheep usually occur in the head region, as in the cases reported herein. According to the literature, the attacks occurred during Spring, in the months of September and October. Both animals dies less than two hours after arriving at the Veterinary Hospital, indicating that the species of snake involved was very poisonous. In the necropsy, both sheep exhibited skin and subcutaneous hemorrhage, as well as severe edema. When a snake bite involving the genus Bothrops sp. occurs in the head, there is a local reaction which can produce severe edema that affects the neck and thoracic regions. One of the animals exhibited pulmonary edema, hemorrhagic lesions in the heart and petechiae in the serous surface of the intestine. Two perforating lesions, two centimeters away from each other, were found on the right nostril of one animal whereas the lesions were found in the left labial commissure of the second animal, which suggested a snake attack. In the bite region, hydropic degeneration of the keratinocytes and moderate spongiosis were observed microscopically. In the small intestine, the lamina propria exhibited moderate eosinophilic and lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate. The heart exhibited multifocal areas of coalescent hemorrhage and moderate edema of the interstitium. The speed with which the animals died demonstrated the high lethality of snakebites in farm animals. The diagnosis of snake envenomation was based on the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological findings and was attributed to the Bothrops sp. of snakes.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Background: Snake attacks on sheep, horses, cattle and, most frequently, dogs, have previously been described but few of these cases involve highly lethal poison, especially with farm animals. In Brazil, most attacks on humans involving poisonous snakes are related to the genus Bothrops sp. Information about snakebites in sheep is usually obtained from experiments. There are few reports of natural cases and their clinical and pathological characteristics. The aim of the present study was to report the clinical and pathological characteristics of two spontaneous cases of snake envenomation in sheep. Case: Two sheep were sent to the UFSM Veterinary Hospital after being found in the lateral decubitus position by their owner. The two sheep came from a farm located near the University. The animals were subjected to a thorough clinical examination. Blood was collected from one animal for a hemogram and biochemical tests. The animals died about two hours after their arrival at the veterinary hospital. During the necropsy, the fi rst ewe exhibited severe dyspnea, swelling of the submandibular and periorbital regions, and unilateral nasal serosanguineous secretion. The second animal exhibited nasal and ocular bilateral bleeding, hematoma and intense gingival bleeding. The left eye was completely obliterated. In the blood and serum analysis, this animal exhibited a low content of plasma

Background: Snake attacks on sheep, horses, cattle and, most frequently, dogs, have previously been described but few of these cases involve highly lethal poison, especially with farm animals. In Brazil, most attacks on humans involving poisonous snakes are related to the genus Bothrops sp. Information about snakebites in sheep is usually obtained from experiments. There are few reports of natural cases and their clinical and pathological characteristics. The aim of the present study was to report the clinical and pathological characteristics of two spontaneous cases of snake envenomation in sheep. Case: Two sheep were sent to the UFSM Veterinary Hospital after being found in the lateral decubitus position by their owner. The two sheep came from a farm located near the University. The animals were subjected to a thorough clinical examination. Blood was collected from one animal for a hemogram and biochemical tests. The animals died about two hours after their arrival at the veterinary hospital. During the necropsy, the fi rst ewe exhibited severe dyspnea, swelling of the submandibular and periorbital regions, and unilateral nasal serosanguineous secretion. The second animal exhibited nasal and ocular bilateral bleeding, hematoma and intense gingival bleeding. The left eye was completely obliterated. In the blood and serum analysis, this animal exhibited a low content of plasma

RESUMO

Background: Snake attacks on sheep, horses, cattle and, most frequently, dogs, have previously been described but few of these cases involve highly lethal poison, especially with farm animals. In Brazil, most attacks on humans involving poisonous snakes are related to the genus Bothrops sp. Information about snakebites in sheep is usually obtained from experiments. There are few reports of natural cases and their clinical and pathological characteristics. The aim of the present study was to report the clinical and pathological characteristics of two spontaneous cases of snake envenomation in sheep. Case: Two sheep were sent to the UFSM Veterinary Hospital after being found in the lateral decubitus position by their owner. The two sheep came from a farm located near the University. The animals were subjected to a thorough clinical examination. Blood was collected from one animal for a hemogram and biochemical tests. The animals died about two hours after their arrival at the veterinary hospital. During the necropsy, the fi rst ewe exhibited severe dyspnea, swelling of the submandibular and periorbital regions, and unilateral nasal serosanguineous secretion. The second animal exhibited nasal and ocular bilateral bleeding, hematoma and intense gingival bleeding. The left eye was completely obliterated. In the blood and serum analysis, this animal exhibited a low content of plasma

Background: Snake attacks on sheep, horses, cattle and, most frequently, dogs, have previously been described but few of these cases involve highly lethal poison, especially with farm animals. In Brazil, most attacks on humans involving poisonous snakes are related to the genus Bothrops sp. Information about snakebites in sheep is usually obtained from experiments. There are few reports of natural cases and their clinical and pathological characteristics. The aim of the present study was to report the clinical and pathological characteristics of two spontaneous cases of snake envenomation in sheep. Case: Two sheep were sent to the UFSM Veterinary Hospital after being found in the lateral decubitus position by their owner. The two sheep came from a farm located near the University. The animals were subjected to a thorough clinical examination. Blood was collected from one animal for a hemogram and biochemical tests. The animals died about two hours after their arrival at the veterinary hospital. During the necropsy, the fi rst ewe exhibited severe dyspnea, swelling of the submandibular and periorbital regions, and unilateral nasal serosanguineous secretion. The second animal exhibited nasal and ocular bilateral bleeding, hematoma and intense gingival bleeding. The left eye was completely obliterated. In the blood and serum analysis, this animal exhibited a low content of plasma