Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Phospholipase A2 inhibitor helps dogs recover faster from eastern
By Woliver, Cory et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Phospholipase A2 inhibitor may shorten the duration of clinical signs in the treatment of neurotoxicity caused by eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) envenomation in 3 dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs were brought to the vet after being bitten by an eastern coral snake, showing symptoms like weakness in their limbs and trouble breathing. They were treated with a new medication called varespladib, along with coral snake antivenom and supportive care. Remarkably, all three dogs recovered fully and quickly, spending only about 50 to 70 hours in the hospital, which is much less time than previous cases without this treatment. There were no side effects from the medication or antivenom, suggesting that varespladib could be a helpful option for treating snake bites in dogs.
People also search for: dog snake bite treatment · eastern coral snake envenomation symptoms · varespladib for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of varespladib, a synthetic, small molecule secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) inhibitor, in the treatment of severe eastern coral snake envenomation with signs of neurotoxicity. ANIMALS: 3 dogs presenting to a tertiary referral academic teaching hospital. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: 3 dogs with tetraparesis, hypoventilation, and other clinical signs of eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) envenomation presented to a tertiary referral academic teaching hospital between September 1, 2024, and March 30, 2025, and were treated with varespladib, coral snake antivenom, and supportive care. RESULTS: All dogs made a complete and expedited recovery. None of the dogs required mechanical ventilation. The total hospitalization time for each dog was approximately 50 to 70 hours, significantly shorter than the previously published hospitalization duration (187 to 196 hours) without intervention with varespladib. No adverse effects were attributed to varespladib or antivenom administration. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Varespladib may have a role in shortening the duration of the clinical signs of dogs envenomated by coral snakes and may reduce the need for mechanical ventilation in affected dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40738154/