The Do's and Don'ts of Equine Snake Bites

When warm weather hits, there is always a chance that a snake may choose to come out to sunbathe. Unfortunately, this may be in your pasture or out on the trail. Like horses, snakes don't enjoy being walked up on unexpectedly and may react badly if frightened enough causing them to lash out and bite the intruder of their space.

If this "intruder" happens to be your horse, there are several things you should do to help him:

• If the muzzle is badly swollen (facial bite especially), use a lubricant to soften up the ends of a section of garden hose that you've separated into two 6 inch sections (one for each nostril). This will be very important if the swelling causes the horse to have difficulty breathing as the hose will keep the airways open.
• If the bite is on a leg, wrap the leg so that swelling is contained to only the affected area.
• Do your best to keep the horse calm and if he needs to be moved elsewhere, walk him very slowly.
• Make sure to clean the bite area by washing it with soap and water.

After determining that this is in fact a snake bite, these are some things not to do:

• Do not cut the affected area. This will do more harm than good to the horse. If a cut ever needs to be performed on a horse, it should be done by a trained veterinarian.
• DO NOT SUCK THE VENOM OUT. This has been seen time and time again in movies but in real life do not do this to your horse.
• Leave the compress out of the situation. You may be tempted to apply a hot or cold compress- don't do it. Research shows that this can actually cause more damage to the area.

If you suspect your horse has been bitten by a snake do not hesitate- call your veterinarian! Let the doctor know the area that the bite occurred in (especially if it's in a joint) and follow the doctor's instructions without deviating.