Rattlesnakes...

[Steelhead]

So what do I do if my dog gets bitten by a rattlesnake? She's a 70# black lab. I've heard stories ranging from: my dog was bitten and I called the vet and they said they couldn't do anything...dog was fine. to dog was bitten and...dog died.
Help!! Anything would help!!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Take a look around and see if any of the local sporting goods stores are putting on "snake breaking" clinics. I've heard of folks having good results with that training.

You can also get vaccination shots for dogs. Not sure how effective those are though.

A lot seems to depend on variables as far as how a dog will handle a snake bite. Better to be cautious than to run the risk of losing the pooch.

As for being bitten - take the pup to a vet ASAP and let them deal with it. The Dog should pull through, but it's best to have someone who knows what they're doing monitor and treat.

 

[sheff]

Snake bite

If he gets bit in the head there is a good chance he will survive. I would say about 90-95%chance. I've never lost one. I have seen a few get bit in the ribs/stomach and none made it. Dexamethasone is the best affordable drug that you can administer. It's a steriod type med. I keep some on hand. Anti-venom is great but it's hard to find a vet that keeps it.

 

[belly-deep]

I hunt upland birds with three dogs and worry about snakes quite a bit. The best thing you can do is to take all available precautions and cross your fingers. I would recommend both snake breaking and the rattlesnake vaccine. Neither are 100%, but either could save a dog's life. Once the dog is bit, it is all a game of chance. If you can get the dog to the vet soon enough, they can administer antivenin and save the dogs life. The problem for upland hunters like me is that vet clinics are usually hours away. It is still a good idea to take a dog in though, because vets can give the dogs steriods and fluids to help the dog through it. The location of the bite is also outcome-determinative. If a dog is bitten on the leg or back half of the body, the dog has a much better chance of survival. Bites to the rib cage, neck, or head are more likely to be lethal. Even if the venom isn't enough to kill a dog, swelling sometimes can. Dogs can and do survive snake bites without any vet attention. I know an old bird dogger who grew up hunting quail in Missouri. They would have bitten dogs every so often and none ever died. I also know of dogs here in MT that have died from snake bites.

Like I said, take all the precautions you can and cross your fingers for the rest.

 

[DavidKeenan]

Sheff said it. Head they usually don't with treatment. I had a hound bit once vet gave her shots. I had to keep her jaw clean after it busted. Nasty stuff. I didn't seem to hurt anythings else and she kept on hinting till aran sow killed her 4 year later

 

[WyoRider]

My dog's doc here in Sheridan, WY has treated many dogs, vaccinated and unvaccinated, for rattlesnake bites. She said the vaccinated dogs have faired much better and that the main concern for them is bacterial infection.

The general vaccine for the west is for bites from the Western Diamondbacks and apparently is not effective for bites from other rattlesnake species (Eastern, Sidewinder, Mojave, etc.).

I vaccinated my forty pound French Brittany and it cost $50 for two doses, and she had no ill effects but for slight swelling at the injection site for two or three weeks. I'm still going to have her go through an aversion program put on locally using live rattlesnakes and E-collar shocks.

Hope this helps!

 

[belly-deep]

Sheff said it. Head they usually don't with treatment.

Unless it swells enough to suffocate them.

 

[sheff]

Snake bite

Thus the need for an anti-inflammatory like Dexamethasone..........

 

[Brentster7189]

Rattlesnake avoidance is a cheap way to mostly ensure your dog will stay away from them to begin with. I took mine last year, and I will again this year. I heard two years in a row pretty much sets them in stone for not wanting anything to do with them. Obviously just avoiding rattlesnake areas till it cools down is probably the smartest thing to do.

How long is that Dexamethasone good for, shelf life?

 

[garyltbh]

This might sound kinda crazy. Because i thought it was.But my english pointer got bit in the face buy a western diamand back. In california.And i had no idea what to do. The vet was way to far away and when i called him to ask for advice i didnt realy get any.So i called this old woman farmer i knew and she told me to boil some rice for half hour and then through the rice away.Then start forcing the dog to drink it every 15 min. For 24 hours although the dogs face was alittle diffrent shape after the ordeal he survived.It sounds crazy even now but it did work for my dog.good luck and do your best to stay clear of snakes.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

I hunt out in the Pierre, SD. area where there are rattlesnakes. Being a DVM I was concerned about my dog's safety (I live in Iowa where we have no rattlesnakes in my area). I stopped at a local veterinary clinic and talked to the nice DVM on hand so that I might refresh myself on rattlesnake bite treatment. After the chat I learned that in his experience, most dogs will survive without major treatment (anti-venom). He stated that anti-venom (in his opinion) has a better chance of killing the dog then does the actual snakebite, especially if the dog has already been exposed to an anti-venom. At this clinic they did not use the anti-venom as a treatment. Treatment of choice was supportive IV fluids to maintain blood pressure and antihistamines. Antihistamines decrease the effects of histamines released by the animal. Histamines basically cause the inflammatory response to the snake bite. Antibiotics are also prescribed post bite exposure.

The smaller the dog the greater the effect of the venom. The head bites can look very nasty. I will not comment on the "snake vaccine" since I know nothing about the vaccine except what I have read here http://www.redrockbiologics.com/FAQ.html.

A bottle of dexamethasone is good until the expiration date on the side of the bottle. Note: it does not have to be refrigerated, however, it should not be exposed to high temps.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[Hem]

The heck with the dogs,how about our safety?(just kidding but partially serious).Opening day of gun season had one rattling four feet behind me at 5 p.m. Second week-end killed an elk and some buddies were packing it out on horses,they shot eight snakes for dinner on the way in.(check out kid in picture).Next week-end same guys were packing out another elk and ran in to a den area and had to tip toe through 25-30 snakes.All in November.That doesn't seem right!

 

[Outdooraddict]

Man, that's creepy. I can't tell, but I hope somebody lopped the head off that snake the boy's holding. They'll bite your arse even when they're dead.

 

[Steelhead]

Thanks a lot. It sounds like you guys have the kind of knowledge I was looking for. I don't know if I feel any better about the idea of her getting bitten. I've been with her since the day she was born... I'm a scared daddy.

 

[belly-deep]

Thanks a lot. It sounds like you guys have the kind of knowledge I was looking for. I don't know if I feel any better about the idea of her getting bitten. I've been with her since the day she was born... I'm a scared daddy.

Are you hunting the dog? I've asked myself the same question, but always remind myself that I bought the dogs to HUNT...not sit at home because I'm afraid of one of them getting snake bit.

That said, I wouldn't take my dog into a snakey area for non-hunting purposes. Why risk it?