See the Full Issue
June 2024
JAAHA Case Report of the Month
How survivable is pit viper envenomation for pregnant dogs and their fetuses? The answer might surprise you.
Pit Viper Versus Pregnant Dog
Pit viper bites are never a good thing. The powerful venom can cause multisystemic effects as well as significant local tissue damage. Although not very well reported, limited data suggests that bites from these snakes are especially dangerous for pregnant women, and human fetuses can be harmed or even killed as a result of the effects of envenomation. But how survivable is pit viper envenomation for pregnant dogs and their fetuses?
A new case report in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association (JAAHA) describes two separate cases where a pregnant dog was bitten by a pit viper and taken to a university teaching hospital for treatment. This article is the first description of medical management of pit viper envenomation in two pregnant dogs.
Find out how the mothers and puppies fared in the latest issue of JAAHA, “Pit Viper Envenomation in Two Pregnant Bitches,” at jaaha.org.
Photo credit: agus fitriyanto/iStock via Getty Images Plus