All livestock, particularly horses, are sensitive to the effects of snake venom, which can cause sudden death.  

The severity of snake bite effects depends on several things, including:

There are several clinical signs that frequently occur, however these can be inconsistent and variable. In general, snake venom paralyses muscles. Affected animals develop muscular tremors and a staggery gait. 

Affected animals will be unable to swallow and dribble saliva due to paralysis of the tongue. From there they collapse, have trouble breathing and finally die from respiratory failure.

If an animal receives a small dose of venom it may recover after an illness of one to five days. Snake bite can be difficult to diagnose at post-mortem since the small puncture wounds and local swelling are difficult to find on a large animal.

Often a diagnosis is based on the sighting of a snake and the exclusion of other diseases.

The only effective treatment for snake bite is snake antivenin given urgently, therefore if you suspect your animal has been bitten, seek veterinary assistance swiftly. Remember, sudden deaths in livestock can be caused by more than a few reasons.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian.