# Doggie Snake Bite Pictorial * * * Different Dog.  Same snake?



## rockdoveranch (Jul 6, 2011)

Since my Boxer got snake bit last night and had difficult time recovering, I thought I would post current and past pictures of him, snake bit.  

This was last night's bite.  I am not sure what happened because he had a hard time recovering.  Normally a copperhead bite does not bother him, but last night he was down for 7 hours and I really thought I might loose him.  I worried it was a timber rattlesnake and not a copperhead.  The dark area is where the bite blood blister was.  He licked it until it popped open.   He swelled first down to his foot, then up to the top of his leg.







Here he is as a puppy.  Got bit on the face, of course.






Here is the next bite.  Looks like he has a milk goiter.  






His left jowl is swollen.  What a cute doggie!






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## elevan (Jul 7, 2011)

Ah...he must be a snake hunter to get bit so much!  Poor boy.  Glad he's doing ok!


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## dkluzier (Jul 7, 2011)

Oh my!  What a sweetie he is!  Would they become more resistant to the bites after having so many or the opposite?  Hope his leg gets all better soon.


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## Lizzie098 (Jul 7, 2011)

Awww, the poor guy. I hope he gets better soon!! I always feel so bad when something happens to a pet.


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## DonnaBelle (Jul 7, 2011)

If my dogs get snake bit, I take them to the vet and he gives them an antibiotic shot and also some pills to take for a few days.

It seems that they can get a really severe infection and die if left untreated.

DonnaBelle


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## rockdoveranch (Jul 9, 2011)

Another day (night really).  Another dog.  Same snake?

This time it was my daughter's Boston Terrier.  He was a rescue that someone was going to be dump 2 summers ago.  We took a 10 hour round trip to get him.  I have him a total of about 60 days a year to baby sit.  My biggest fear is him getting copperhead bit because of the nose and face structure.  I have taken him out in the middle of the night to potty and have had to kill coiled up copperheads in the little yard I used to take him to after dark.  Now we have another little yard that I can just let him out into without me having to venture outside.  

He wanted to potty at 2am last night.  He has a routine of peeing, going to the door, then running back out to poop and then racing back through the open door.  I did not see the snake and we could not find it after he was bitten, but I knew he had been bitten the second it happened by his reaction.  I was able to get him to take a benadryl and prednisone in hot dog chunks before he even began to swell.  He got bit just below his right lower lip.  

Our little town weekly paper had a front page story warning people of copperheads near homes because of the drought.  One neighbor killed 8 last month.  We have only killed 2 but neither of those have bitten our dogs.  One got away.  I REALLY hate killing them because they serve a purpose in the balance of nature, but I do not want any humans or animals being struck here around the house, or anywhere else.











It is rare that an animal (or Human) needs vetting for copperhead bites; a little more common with a cottonmouth bites because of the nature on the venom and according to our vet, the wounds needs to be flushed out; and a medical emergency if it is a rattlesnake.

As for me . . . I will die instantly whether it be any venomous snake.  I will die of a heart attack.


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## ksalvagno (Jul 9, 2011)

I hope the little guy is ok. I'm glad we don't have copperheads around here.


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## elevan (Jul 9, 2011)

Man, what a bad run of luck your pooches are having with these snakes!  

I agree with ksalvagno...glad we don't have them here...although I know that there are copperheads when you go about 2 hours south of me...yikes!!

Looks like he was getting  a little better about 7 hours afterwards...poor poochie.

 to you!


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## carolinagirl (Jul 9, 2011)

wow!  Poor doggies!  You need to get yourself a Jack Russell Terrier.  I had one once that loved hunting snakes more than anything.  even when she was old, if she escaped, she ran to the neighbor's pond in search of snakes to kill.  She come home with snake blood streaked on both sides from shaking the dead snakes so hard.  My pit bull does a great job killing them too.  We taught her how by allowing her to kill a few common water snakes.  They bite...but can't hurt her.  she learned to watch until they moved so she could figure out which end is which, then she snatches them up by the tail and shakes them so hard they often rip in half.  Then just to make sure it's really dead, she tears the snake up into tiny pieces.  It's pretty gruesome but I don't have to worry about rattlesnakes anymore.  She goes with me on all walks.


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## rockdoveranch (Jul 11, 2011)

We (DH) have killed 4 copperheads in the last two nights; 2 a night.  2 were in the little yard I let the Boston out in at night only to potty.  The yard only 18 ft long by 6 ft (kennel panels) at the far end and the width of the sliding glass door at the other.  The 3rd copper head was climbing on the chain link panel of the yard.  The other was just outside the yard.  I think they are coming from the woods from the north and west of the yard to where the light is on the house because the light is attracting things for them to eat.

I am NOT a happy camper!

I wasn't so sure the Boston knew what hit him the other night, but it was him who alerted me of last night's first copperhead.  I had scanned the yard with a flash light and thought it was safe so I let him out.  Next thing I know he is looking for a good place to pee and he suddenly runs back to the door.  My DH almost stepped on the snake while searching for it.  We are now keeping mud boots at the door along with a shovel.

The Boston is doing well, thanks!  Thank goodness!  I am beginning to wonder why the heck I want to be out here!  Oh yeah . . . I can not handle city living anymore.  The snakes in the city come disguised as humans.  

We also killed a huge rat snake that was climbing the fence on the big dog yard.  You don't want to know the details, but I killed him while we were trying to get him out of the chain link.  Funny thing is we did not think a copperhead would be up in the fence.  Now we know.  

Interesting about Jack Russell's.  They and Rat Terriers are VERY popular out our way.  Maybe the snake issue is the reason!  I have seen both my Boxer and GWP fling copperheads from their mouths.  We did the killing after that.  Once the fawns are big enough to easily clear the fences we are going to have to leave the big dogs out all night.  

The summer is not even half way over.  More to come . . . hope I am not the next victim!


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 11, 2011)

Holy cow!  I can't imagine having that many copperheads!  I'm lucky now because where we live in the state there are no venomous snakes.


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