# RATTLESNAKE BIT MY BRITTANY!!   UPDATE! SHE'S ok



## DonnaBelle (Jun 11, 2012)

DH went to check the birddogs this morning and Bonnie's mouth and throat was swollen up.  He knew she'd been snake bit, because it's happened before, but with copperhead snakes, this time of year.

The snakes crawl in the dog pen, and of course, the dogs have to kill them, and get bitten.  But so far, not by a RATTLER.  This time it's a rattlesnake, about 2 ft. long, a young one. Of course, where there's one, there's more.  

I guess we're going to cut down the morning glory vines on the side of the pen.  I don't think  there's anything else to stop the horrible things.  

I've saved the snake to do "show and tell" with the 5 year old that lives here on the ranch.  I shudder to think about one of them biting her.  It scares me to death. Hate, hate, hate snakes.

DonnaBelle

JUST GOT HER BACK, SHE'S GOING TO BE OK. ON ANTIBIOTICS AND PREDNISONE FOR A WEEK.  VET SAYS HE LOST A ****ZU YESTERDAY TO A RATTLER BITE.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Jun 11, 2012)

So sorry to hear that.  So a dog can be bitten by a rattlesnake and survive?

Do you have to treat her with something?


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## Roll farms (Jun 11, 2012)

Sure hope she does ok~


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## DonnaBelle (Jun 11, 2012)

DH took her to the vet immediately.  She's staying the day at his office, we'll pick her up later today.  She will have to have a shot and several days of antibiotics I would think.

A rattlesnake bite is much more serious than a copperhead or a baby rattler.  We do have cottonmouths here, but they are usually under a building or some trash.

When we bought this place there was an old building still standing that DH turned into his quail barn.  It was full of old lumber and when he went to move the lumber and HUGE cottonmouth was under the lumber.  He had been living there for a long time and eating the many rats and field mice that were around the building.

We keep rat killer bait out under the building now, and make sure the dogs can't reach it.  The dogs live on the other side of the ranch from that area, but we are always super careful with any poisons.

Well, it's summertime in Oklahoma.  

Yes, a rattler can kill a dog.  It's a very serious bite, and Bonnie's our best hunting dog.  D***nation!!!!

DonnaBelle


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## TTs Chicks (Jun 11, 2012)

hope she does okay


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## redtailgal (Jun 11, 2012)

ug.  Copperhead bites are nothing compared to a rattler. My mastiff was bitten by a copperhead last year and I had a goat bitten by a copperhead a couple weeks ago.  Copperheads are the main concern here in NC, but I have come across a few rattlers in the wild.  


 I hope she pulls through for you.

I've used dead snakes to "train" my dogs conerning how to behave when they come across one.   I lay the snake out where the dog will find it, and correct them (harshly) when they approach it, but reward them when they turn and run to me.  It seems to be working, lol, my dogs all run from even a WORM now.  I'm not a huge advocate of electronic collars, but they would come in very handy when training dogs in snake awareness.


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## BrownSheep (Jun 11, 2012)

Weve actually been warned baby rattlers are worst than adults. Apparently adults can control the amount of venom while the babies go all in.  Doesn't really matter to me since I start blubbering like a baby when I see a water snake. Our vet offers rattle snake shots.  It's kinda like a vaccination for the venom I guess?


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## redtailgal (Jun 11, 2012)

The rattlesnake shots are an anti-venom that is used to minimize the effects of the actual bite, and oddly enough, it is derived from rattlesnake venom.  It's only effective AFTER the bite.  Your fortunate to have this available in your area. Some areas, including mine, will not offer anti-venom shots to animals (due to a shortage).

And you are right, just about any poisonous snake has a more lethal venom when it is young.  They do not have the control of an older snake, but their venom is also more concentrated.  THe good thing about it though, is that a young snake will often strike twice, and because of their lack of control, the bites after the first one are usually dry, while an adult can strike and inject multiple times.


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## daisychick (Jun 11, 2012)

My mom's little yorkie lap dog got bit in the face last year by a rattler.   Fast action by the vet and the anti-venom saved him.  DonnaBelle I sure hope your dog pulls through, what a scary thing to have happen.   

We have so many dogs and horses get bit by rattlers that the vet here offers the rattlesnake vaccine.  The vaccine is supposed to "both delay the effects and reduce the severity of rattlesnake bites and help dogs survive and recover more quickly with less pain and swelling".  They can get boosters each year for it and it is supposed to help them build up antibodies against the venom if they should ever get bitten.


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## redtailgal (Jun 11, 2012)

ok wait.

Ya'll have an actual vaccine?  I stand corrected!  Cool beans!  

Do you have anymore info on this or do you k now of a place where I can read more about it?  If so, pm me the info......dont want to hijack.


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## daisychick (Jun 11, 2012)

Here it is    http://rattlesnakevaccinefordogs.com/faqs.html

The F.A.Q. section has lots of good info.  

  My dad got all of his outside dogs vaccinated the other day and so far no bad reactions or anything.


edited to add:
Oops sorry I didn't see the P.M. part.    Sorry to hijack your thread.     I will keep the link here in case they offer the vaccine where DonnaBelle lives.  It might be a good idea for her bird dogs.


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## daisychick (Jun 11, 2012)

edited because I was trying not to hijack the thread.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jun 11, 2012)

*http://www.redrockbiologics.com/*


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## DonnaBelle (Jun 11, 2012)

Please hijack all you want.  Dr. G. told me today he's had a lot of snake bites in dogs this year in Oklahoma.  Something to do with the weather perhaps?

I stopped by my Dr. today also, had a chest congestion again.  I told him about Bonnie and he said he's had 3 snake bite patients this year so far.  Two copperheads and one rattlesnake bite.

He said this is the first year he's had any in a while, the rattlesnake bite was a pigmy.  A lady was standing by a kids pool outside her house and it was beside it.

We're locking the 5 year old lttle girl  that lives here on the ranch up!!  That's what really has bothered me.  The thought of her getting bitten.

The receptionist at the vet's office said anti venom for a dog is $l,500.00 so most vets don't keep it on hand.

DonnaBelle


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## daisychick (Jun 11, 2012)

Glad to hear she is ok!


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## redtailgal (Jun 11, 2012)

We've had tons of copperhead bites here already, in both people and critters. I think that it's because we had such a mild winter and the snake population is higher than normal.


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## Nikki (Jun 14, 2012)

Glad she's alright!


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## greybeard (Jun 27, 2012)

One of the reasons they don't automatically give anti-venom is shortage and cost--coupled with the real possibility of side effects in the case of copperhead and other pit vipers.  Anti-venom runs around $300- $600-$800/vial wholesale acquisition cost, and it takes several vials per treatment. I was told around $500/vial----your results may vary. Total cost to patient (retail) can easily exceed $10,000, especially if the treatment facility does not have the AV readily accessible--shipping will be forwarded to the bite victim or owner if it is an animal. For a pet or livestock, the cost is usually much less, as there isn't the usual hospital costs involved. 

I have been advised by 3 different vets to keep a bottle of liquid Benadryl around just in case of snake bite, and to immediately give the animal a big dose of it. In the case of a large dog for instance, I was told to "pour as much down him as you can".  It doesn't help the bite itself, but it does help retard and minimize the swelling of muscle tissue and the restrictions regarding blood vessels and respiratory tracts.  Most dogs get bitten on the neck, face and nose, which is especially problem causing due to the close proximity to the respiratory system. 
Copperhead bites are rarely fatal especially in humans, (I have been bitten by one already), but I gotta tell ya. I have been hit with a helicopter blade, severly burned from bootop to knees on both legs, struck by lightning, and bitten by a copperhead. The snakebite BY FAR, was the worst.  The pain is immediate (a split second) and severe-felt like a hot nail was driven thru my toe.  Swelling began in about 2 minutes. We left for the ER within 2 minutes of the bite, and within 2 minutes, I had trouble getting my sock off. By the time we had gone the nine miles to town, my leg was swolen to the knee. At the ER, be prepared to do the usual paperwork first, unless you are bitten close to your heart or head. You WILL get a tetanus shot unless you can provide that you have recently had one.  I did not recieve the AV, as they didn't have any, and it was not deemed neccessary by the attending physcian. I stayed overnight and went home the next morning after recieving IV fluids, lots of pain meds, and antibiotics by IV.  The swelling lasted  about 2 weeks total, with my entire leg turning black almost to my hip. My left foot is now one shoe size larger than my right foot and it has been nearly 2 years since the snake bit me.

And another vet's take on animal snakebite victims.
http://www.veterinaryinsider.com/public/When_is_Snakebite_Antivenin_Really_Needed_2.cfm


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## petmom (Jul 13, 2012)

I live in Florida, so we have a lot of moccassins, pygmy rattlers, and some diamondbacks. When I first moved to where I am now, I saw them all the time. I got some free range game chickens and haven't seen any for quite awhile. I don't think the snakes like the chickens scratching around. Hope your dog is OK.


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## GoatCrazyLady (Sep 20, 2012)

I'd be afraid to be outdoors if we had poisonous snakes where I live.


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