A Rattler’s Nasty Bite, by Dr. Deirdre Brandes
Friday, July 27th, 2007The following is based on a true story, but details have been changed to protect the privacy of the clients and patients.
Mrs. Rosner was frantic when she called to report that their cocker spaniel, Monty, had just appeared at the back door with a baby rattlesnake in his mouth. She and her husband were pretty sure that it had bitten him on the muzzle, so they rushed Monty to our hospital right away. As I entered the treatment area, I could see that Monty was panting and uncomfortable. After carefully examining him for any puncture wounds that might indicate a snake bite, I noticed two tiny spots of blood on his muzzle.
To evaluate the severity of this bite, we drew a blood sample to run tests. When I looked at a drop of his blood under the microscope, I found further evidence that the snake venom was at work. The red blood cells, normally round and smooth, had formed spikes on their outer membranes. We sometimes see these damaged cells, called echinocytes, as a result of a rattlesnake bite. Also, the remaining tests showed that Monty’s blood wasn’t clotting properly. (more…)