Mirrim Kelly-Bosma, DVClinSc candidate, Confirmation Review Seminar, "Elapid snake envenomation in cats and dogs: characterising the lesions and use of immunohistochemistry for post mortem diagnosis"

Mirrim’s advisors are A/Prof Rachel Allavena, Dr Helen Owen, Dr Joerg Henning, and Dr Mark Haworth

Elapid snakes are a very important cause of morbidity and mortality in cats and dogs in Australia. There are an estimated 6240 cases of snake envenomation in companion animals per year, and up to 34% of these cases are fatal. Snake envenomation can also manifest as sudden death of unknown cause. Post mortem lesions associated with snake envenomation in companion animals are poorly defined, and it can be problematic to differentiate snakebite from other causes of sudden death, such as heat stroke, peracute toxicity and metabolic disease. Snakebite causes are generally reported as open diagnoses, which is disheartening for owners and frustrating for veterinary pathologists. The first aim of this thesis is to develop immunohistochemistry for diagnosis of snake envenomation in tissues post mortem, with the goal of confirming death by snake envenomation. The second aim is to retrospectively and prospectively characterise and compile the gross and histological changes seen in snake envenomation cases to allow refinement of diagnosis based on morphologic criteria, and further the understanding of venom pathogenesis.

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