MYOCARDITIS FOLLOWING ENVENOMING WITH VIPERA-PALAESTINAE IN 2 HORSES

Cardiac disease developed several days to weeks after resolution of lo cal inflammation caused by envenoming by Vipera palaestinae in two hor ses. In one horse (case A), referred to the hospital for recurrent abd ominal pain 8 days after envenoming, a tachyrhythmia was detected; ven tricular premature depolarizations were diagnosed by ECG. A second hor se (case B) was found dead without premonitory signs 60 days after env enoming. In both horses, there was extensive necrosis of cardiac ventr icular tissues.