I've seen and heard of this for years, but since I've gotten on here everything I've learned has worked and most dog info is false. Because of the medical industry these days, now I don't know what to think about this. I'm going to buy Ed's book on Vaccines.

Soon, I'll be living in the country. It's a heavy snake area. (rattlers, copperheads, cottonmouths, etc.) I know there's some country people in here.

Lets hear some info about snake bites and preventatives, and what's real and then what's real BS.

Brad;

Never heard any documented info about injections. The bird dog people on the big $$$ plantations "snake proof" their dogs using live, (boxed-up) snakes and e-collars. There, however, you are absolutely guaranteed to find big rattlers on a fairly regular basis.

The mecca for rattlesnake venom treatment is...or, at least used to be...Archbold Hospital in Thomasville, Ga. I don't have their website, but I'm pretty sure they have one.

By the way, the experts say that half or more of rattler bites are not "envenomated"...just "get away" strikes. Research some of the bird dog sites for more information. Cottonmouths are very agressive...as are most water snakes...and they WILL roam some distance from water. Western diamondbacks are more agressive than their eastern cousins, and copperheads are not nearly as bad as the others.

How do I know all this? When my son was about 10-11 y.o.a. he got real interested in snakes and I bought him the "bible"...Snakes of the World" by Raymond Ditmars. Scared Hell out of me!

Hi Brad,
What area are you moving to? I'm in South Texas...Copperheads are a regular nuisance...a few Cottonmouth but I have yet to see a rattler in my area (...knocking on wood as I type).
I have a rotten rottie/lab mix that has a nasty habit of hunting snakes down in my yard and killing them. The first time he did it and was bitten (Copperhead), I called my then vet and took him in for an afterhours visit at midnight after my vet said it was a MUST because the skin would die on his foot which will lead to all sorts of infections and other things. So, nearly $500 + a very traumatized dog (from them squeezing his foot to find the fang marks) later we went home w/ I believe 3 different prescriptions that I was to give to him.

Just after that, I switched vets...Oscar was bit again (on the muzzle this time...Copperhead again) and of course it was afterhours AGAIN, LOL. So, called our new vet and was told point blank...'You can bring him in...I can meet you at the office...your bill will be somewhere around $$$$ much and I'll give him an anti-inflammatory drug to stop any swelling or allergic reactions...OR you can keep him at home, give him Benedryl and keep watch over him for distress.

I took option 2, Oscar's neck swelled up nicely, he was drooling like crazy...next morning he was relatively okay...next evening he was fine and on snake patrol again. Since this, he has been bitten literally countless times almost always by a Copperhead and has always been fine.

I've read several accounts of dogs being allergic to and dying after receiving the anti-venon but you don't know it until you give it to them (or something like that). My vet says he has never had a dog die from a snake bite (in Texas) and that his worst case was a dog that was bitten repeatedly by a rattlesnake. The dog stayed in a coma for a week or so and came out okay.

I've also read and don't know wether it's true or not that w/ Copperheads, once a dog kills one they immediately recognize the smell of a Copperhead after that and will continue to hunt them down. As I said, I don't know the truth in that however it seems to be true for Oscar. He has literally saved myself and my daughter from being bitten numerous times. Of course now whenever I get a shovel out he immediately thinks there is a snake somewhere, LOL.

Sorry for the novel!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Just a little tip i was given from my friends mother who is a professional snake handler and wildlife rescuer. If you put a barrier around the dog pens/yard like tin sheeting about 1mtr high this aparently will stop the snakes from being able to get into the yard as they are very reluctant to go over the top and its not realy in their best interest to go under as they may find teeth or something else they are not ready for when they come up.
This woman knows her snakes, she doesn't even go to the doctor anymore when she gets bitten by a red belly black snake.....she is immune!
I hope this is of use <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

It's about 15 miles south of Mineral Wells in Palo Pinto County, over by the Brazos River.

I'm not so worried with the Copperheads as much, but there's plenty of Rattlers & Cottonmouths here. (There all there) There's a neighbor semi-close by that sells/shows them to people or something. I have a creek that runs through my land too so it has some wildlife there if you know what I mean. Those Cottonmouth snakes, I used to shoot them with my pellet gun as a kid in a boat and they'd literally start charging you. They're super aggressive.

I'm going to get alot of little cats to have around there and clear alot of heavy brush. I feel if I can cut the food supply from the snakes then maybe they'll move over alittle to the next place. lol

I got an uncle I know that gets his done and they slowly become immune to the venom. It's just an idea.

Brad,
My Akita kills snakes all the time during the spring and fall. Mostly copperheads and cottonmouths. Luckly she hasn't been bitten.

I raised Bluetick Coonhounds some yrs back. These dogs were hunted in the swamps of Louisiana.
Often one was bitten during the hunt. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> As previous post stated all are not cause for alarm.

Take precautions as if they had a deadly dose of venom. Remember that venom affects the nervous system, dog will act as though confussed and lethargic.

At the bite, place ice to slow down the rate of tranmission of the venom. Most dogs will recover in a day or two. Sometimes the tissue at the BITE site will decay and leave muscle damage if a high enough amount of venom had been injected.

Wash the BITE site with antiseptic soap and keep wound open so that it drains.

We keep Garden Hoe's around, deadly to snakes. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Most important keep rubish away from area. Snakes will be attracted to water in a drought.
Good luck, your dog will do OK

ikor wrote: How do I know all this? When my son was about 10-11 y.o.a. he got real interested in snakes and I bought him the "bible"...Snakes of the World" by Raymond Ditmars. Scared Hell out of me!

LC: I got bit by the snake bug at about the same age. WHAT A GREAT BOOK. I still remember my favorite snake, Tic Polonga, the Russell’s Viper.

Crabtree wrote: We keep Garden Hoe's around, deadly to snakes.

LC: AND it keeps them off the streets of Hollywood.

LC: Jeez sometimes I don’t believe I write these things. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

The Rattlesnakes are my main concern, the others are just not something one hopes to have to deal with generally.

Hey Lou, in Hollywood maybe they can invent something for the trouser snakes, especially over on the west side. LMAO!!!!!!!

I hear there's alot of snakehandlers in that region????????

LMAO (Just a joke, I'm not being serious)

When I worked for a vet she didn't keep any antivenom on hand because it was expensive, the owner often didn't see the snake, and if they did they couldn't tell you what kind of snake it was to save their life. :rolleyes: (welcome to suburbia)

Luckily the worst encounter I've had to deal with was when the cat was allergic to some kind of bug bite.

Well...in my previous post I was knocking on wood after saying I had never seen a rattler in my area...whereas I should have been knocking on wood that the snakes had not YET come out of hibernation.
Arrived home last night to find my 3 1/2 month old GSD pup AND my Lab had both been bitten on the face. There was an obvious bite mark on Jaxon (pup) but I couldn't find Gunner's (Lab). Both of their heads were swollen to about 3-4 times the norm w/ a giant knot on each of their neck. Called vet...gave benedryl as usual and the swelling has gone done alot as of this morning.
According to the vet, snakes have come out of hibernation earlier than usual and they have seen alot more dogs w/ more severe bites from receiving more venom. She said it's because the snakes may not have had their 'first meal' after hibernation and are therefore striking w/ more venom...not sure if it's true or not but it sure has me worried!!