Journal of Basic and Applied Research International

Snakebite envenomation is an acute, time-dependent veterinary emergency whose clinical expression varies with snake taxonomy, venom composition, bite location, venom dose, animal species and access to regionally appropriate antivenom. The evidence base is uneven: dogs dominate clinical studies, while cats, horses, cattle and small ruminants are represented mainly by retrospective cohorts, case series and geographically restricted reports. This critical narrative review evaluates the diagnosis and management of snakebite envenomation in domestic animals, with emphasis on triage, antivenom decision-making, supportive care, species-specific risks and areas of therapeutic controversy. Literature published from January 1990 to 20 May 2026 was identified through accessible biomedical indexes, open scholarly platforms, journal and institutional records, and citation searching. Evidence was appraised for study design, case ascertainment, venom confirmation, treatment-selection bias, outcome definition and external validity. The strongest veterinary evidence supports early recognition of a progressive envenomation syndrome, repeated clinical and laboratory assessment, and prompt administration of an antivenom with credible neutralising coverage when systemic toxicity, rapidly advancing local injury, neurotoxicity or clinically important coagulopathy is present. Antivenom should be selected by regional snake fauna and product characteristics rather than by generic labels; response to treatment, not body mass alone, should guide additional dosing. Airway protection is especially important after facial bites in horses and in neurotoxic elapid envenomation. Fluid therapy, analgesia, blood components, ventilation, wound care and renal or cardiac support should be individualised to documented complications. Routine glucocorticoids, prophylactic antimicrobials, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and unvalidated first-aid procedures lack consistent benefit and may cause harm. Confidence in many recommendations remains limited by retrospective designs, confounding by indication, inconsistent severity scoring and sparse livestock data. A pragmatic management model based on syndrome recognition, antivenom suitability, serial reassessment and organ-directed support offers the most defensible approach while prospective, region-specific veterinary trials are developed.