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pseudonaja-textilisMulti-Brown Snake Antivenom

It is estimated that each year in Australia over 6200 cases of snakebite are presented to Veterinarians, 76% suffering from Brown snake envenomation and 13% Tiger snake. However the actual number of snakebite in animals is thought to be much higher. If you take into consideration that Australia has 21 of the worlds 25 deadliest snakes, these two facts coupled together produces a lot of very sick animals.
Summerland Serums has two snake antivenom products for Veterinary use, Tiger/Multi Brown Snake AV and Multi-Brown Snake Antivenom

 

 

 

DOSAGE & DISTRIBUTION CHART

*Multiple vials of antivenom may be required in severe cases. What is recommended is the appropriate initial dose only.

chart_icon_snakeSnake chart_icon_disributionDistribution chart_icon_antivenomAntivenom of choice chart_icon_reccomendRec. Initial dose
Notechis scutatus
Mainland/ Eastern Tiger Snake
QLD, NSW, VIC, SA TIGER / MULTI-BROWN 1 Vial
Notechis ater
Black/ Island Tiger Snake
WA, SA, TAS TIGER / MULTI-BROWN 2 Vials
Chappell Island
Black Tiger Snake
TAS TIGER / MULTI-BROWN 4 Vials
Pseudonaja textilis
Common/ Eastern Brown Snake
NT, QLD, NSW, VIC, SA TIGER / MULTI-BROWN
MULTI-BROWN
¼ -½ Vial
1 Vial
Pseudonaja nuchalis
Gwardar/ Western Brown Snake
WA, NT, SA, QLD, NSW, VIC TIGER / MULTI-BROWN
MULTI-BROWN
¼ - ½ Vial
1 Vial
Pseudonaja affinis
Dugite
WA, SA TIGER / MULTI-BROWN
MULTI-BROWN
¼ - ½ Vial
1 Vial
Austrelaps
Copperheads
SA, VIC, TAS, NSW TIGER MULTI BROWN 1 Vial
Pseudechis porphyriacus
Red Bellied/ Common Black Snake
SA, VIC, NSW, QLD TIGER / MULTI-BROWN 1 Vial
Pseudechis australis
Mulga Snake
WA, SA, QLD, NT, NSW Black Snake A.V/ or
TIGER MULTI BROWN
1 Vial or
6 Vials
Pseudechis guttatus
Blue Bellied or Spotted Black Snake
QLD, NSW TIGER MULTI BROWN 1 Vial
Pseudechis colletti
Collett’s Snake
QLD TIGER MULTI BROWN 3 Vials
Pseudechis butleri
Butler’s/ Spotted Mulga or
Yellow Bellied Black Snake
WA TIGER MULTI BROWN 3 Vials
Tropidechis carinatus
Rough Scaled/ Clarence River Snake
QLD, NSW TIGER MULTI BROWN 1 Vial
Hoplocephalus bungaroides
Broadheaded Snake
NSW TIGER MULTI BROWN 1 Vial
Hoplocephalus stephensii
Stephen’s Banded Snake
NSW, QLD TIGER MULTI BROWN 1 Vial
Hoplocephalus bitorquatus
Pale Headed Snake
NSW, QLD TIGER MULTI BROWN 1 Vial

 

SERUM PRODUCTION

Summerland Serums snake antivenoms are prepared from hyper immunised horses and are standardised to a high antivenom titre to ensure a satisfactory clinical response. These horses have been selected as they possess a specific predisposition to the production of snake antivenom not only high in antitoxin titre units but also in prothrombin activator levels which have been shown to cause significant difficulties in the treatment of snakebite  ( Spivulis et al 1996; Tibbals et al 1992 ). High prothrombin levels are vital as it has been shown that unrelenting coagulopathy due to the slow reversal of the prothrombin activator presents the added risk of haemorrhage to the victim (Sutherland 1995). Summerland Serums antivenoms undergo both a chemical purification, and membrane filtration sterilisation process that is unique to these products in Australia. This process has a twofold effect of firstly concentrating the IgG component in the protein that carries the anti toxin units and the prothrombin activator, while secondly removing surplus albumin, alpha1, alpha2 , and some of the beta component thereby greatly reducing the chance of anaphylaxis and "serum sickness" which is an immune response to Ag-Ab complexes deposited on endothelial surfaces.

 



 

snake_id_image

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER

important_points_number1 The three main causes of  death in treating snakebite in Australia are due to the following (Swindells, Murdoch University WA 2007) :

  • treatment is delayed
  • the wrong antivenom is administered
  • insufficient antivenom is given

important_points_number2The correct amount of  antivenom to administer is dependant upon the likely amount of venom injected and the potency of that venom.

important_points_number3 Venom potency can vary greatly within the individual itself, between different individuals within the same species, and between different species.

important_points_number4 There is also a huge variability in the volume of venom injected. This can depend upon; the age of the snake, whether it is a defensive or offensive bite, when the snake last fed, and the number of strikes.

important_points_number5 The Mulga Snake or King Brown Snake (Pseudechis australis) is actually a Black Snake therefore Brown Snake AV will not work. It is preferable to treat Mulga snakebite with straight Black Snake AV.