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

[DonnaBelle]

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.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

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

Do you have to treat her with something?

 

[Roll farms]

Sure hope she does ok~

 

[DonnaBelle]

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

 

[TTs Chicks]

hope she does okay

 

[redtailgal]

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.

 

[BrownSheep]

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?

 

[redtailgal]

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.

 

[daisychick]

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.

 

[redtailgal]

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.