# Another urgent dog question - snake bite



## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

One of our dogs just got bit by a rattle snake on the face. Her whole face and neck are swollen and she's shaky all over and definitely not feeling well. I can't get ahold of the vet out here and don't know what to do for her. This would more than likely be a Pygmy Rattler as that's the only kind we have out here. Looks like she only got one tooth and the hole is about the size of a good size pencil lead, so I would say a fair sized snake. Don't know the for sure size cause we didn't see it. What can I give this poor girl? She's definitely starting to suffer from it and I feel absolutely horrid. HELP!!!:help::help:


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

google: http://newyorksearchandrescue.org/download/snakebite.html

 Good luck! Could you try a human doc?


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## GoldenMom (Jan 2, 2005)

I wish I knew what would help, but thankfully we don't have to deal with poisonous snakes around here.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Thanks guys. I finally got ahold of the vet and we got her in. They gave her epinephrine and Benedryl and some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory pills. So, $126 later and I think she'll be ok.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

she was lucky. the best place is on the face where its more cartilage then muscles. keep a kit handy with what you might need until you get her to a vet again. just in case.

see my dog was bit by a very big (what the vet said) rattler over a year ago. but his was on his left front leg. lots of time, $$$, vet trips, nerve damage LATER & he is ok but there is a nasty scar.

the swelling will go down after some time but she will look horrible. just make sure she has plenty of water handy cause she will need to drink but wont feel like eating much.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

I'm not sure she can drink. I think the swelling may be too bad around her throat as she tried and all the water just drooled back out. I'm keeping a close eye on her and she's due for some more anti-inflammatory medicine here pretty soon. The vet said this one was a very large snake by the distance between the holes and the size of the holes. We went out hunting for it, but didn't find it.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

i'm so glad you found a vet! Prayers for your dog too... Keep us posted


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

I hope your dog pulls through this and will be okay. We've had several dogs bitten by snakes, two by cottonmouths. Almost lost one of them...swelling was compressing his heart. Poor guy was in the hospital for several days, but he survived.


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## Native87 (Jan 21, 2010)

Some folks dont know this but a pygmy rattler is one of the worst rattlesnakes to get bit by. I hope your dog recovers ok. Keep a eye out for dehydration. That is the biggest worry I see at this time.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Be sure to keep an eye peeled for that snake and KILL IT! For all of ya'lls sake. You don't want to get a upfront and personal introduction to that thing.
Take care and keep that doggie hydrated.
I know that was scary! I HATE snakes! ewwwwww!


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

Ask the vet to show you how to inject her under the skin with liquids. It will prevent hydration and shock. Col compresses might help alleviate the swelling too.Keep trying to get some water in her so she doesn't feel dried out int he mouth. Hope she gets better soon!


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

For future reference - Vitamin C, vitamin c, vitamin c. Mega doses of vitamin C and keeping the animal hydrated are the best two things you can do if you can't get to a vet or while getting to a vet if you live far out.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Thanks for the tips. I do have a question. Is it normal for the fur and skin to fall off around a snake bite? The side of her face has, about the size of a quarter or so, of fur and skin that have come off around one of the holes and is bleeding and oozing. Is this normal? Should I run the hose over it several times a day to flush it? My husband said not to touch it as that's venom coming out of the hole? I did see her eat, so she can swallow which was a big relief. I feel so sorry for her. My husband went out and looked for the snake, but it was nowhere to be found. :-( We have a 4 and 6 year old I worry about the most. In that way, I'd rather the dog got bit than one of the children. We always have trouble with rattlers in the spring and fall.


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## MollyK (Mar 19, 2010)

6e, It is normal for the fur and skin to become irritated after a snake bite. The venom from the snake damages the skin around the puncture wounds. Once the body starts healing the wounds the skin will start to go back to normal. 
I had a 3 day old foal get bitten by a snake in his stall and his whole leg was swollen to the size of a draft horses leg. His skin turned black and he lost all the hair on his leg. It was nasty looking for a long long time. 

I hope you pup starts feeling better soon! I'm sure he will be just fine!


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

Seen a LOT of snakebites out here. Here's my .02 ... Most dogs do fine. This time's the worst time of year for bites, because the snakes are coming out of hibernation and they're hungry, cranky, and on the move.

Watch for infection. If the dog can't drink or is having trouble breathing, it might be time for a follow up vet call ... the swelling can get massive depending on the dog. Necrosis happens sometimes ... follow up with your vet if it looks like it's getting bad. A little bit is probably normal. Rattlesnake venom by its nature kills tissue and does some weird things, sometimes the hair falls out and grows back strangely. I have a blue merle dog who lost all the hair on one leg after a bite (he got bit between the toes by a baby snake!), and when it grew back, it wasn't merled anymore -- just solid brown. I also had a goat lose a hoof after being bit just above the coronary band. The hoof grew back and you cannot tell he was ever bit now. So your mileage may vary. 

Benadryl and an antibiotic are the usual treatment. (I personally don't always take the dog to the vet for most bites, unless it looks ugly. For a bite like you're describing, or if it was a small/very young/very old dog, I'd make a vet visit. For the usual 'Fido's got a swollen face AGAIN!' type bite, the dog gets benadryl and an antibiotic. It's all my vet would do if I did take the pup in anyway.) I also, personally, clip the hair around the bite, and do betadine/epsom salt soaks and cold water hydrotherapy. 

I'd wear gloves when cleaning the wound, more out of concern for infection that *you* could catch if you had any break in your skin than for lingering venom. Snakes are absolutely notorious for carrying nasty germs. (I can't stress enough to watch for infection, if there is an infection the doc might need to change the antibiotic. An infection can be more dangerous than the venom.)


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

The venom isn't coming back out the hole. It was absorbed into the muscles/skin/blood. Its the oozing is from the wound being swollen and pushing fluids out as its trying to heal. The area where the hair fell off is from dead tissue. The toxin in the venom will eat away at a small area but it should come back normal as she heals. Like I mentioned before, the face is a better place to get bit. Ask the vet about the area oozing but a saline flush or a cold (reduce/ease swelling) water flush will help it get clean. 

The area on my dogs leg where he was bit, never got hair back & I have to put slave or cream on it to make sure it doesn't get too dry & crack. If it wasn't for the nerve damage he sustained, I'm sure it would have looked better. The nerve was damaged & as it healed, it made him feel funny thus making him literally want to chew his leg off. I spent WAY too much on supplies to keep it wrapped & went through over a dozen of those (shame) plastic cones. Once the swelling goes down, it should heal up nicely. Now he is EXTREMELY wary of snakes or anything that he thinks is a snake.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

We had a 30 pound dog who got hit in the face by a prairie rattlesnake about 8 years ago. She never did grow hair back at the bite (and never wanted to hunt prairie dogs again, either! lol)

We never did haul her to the vet. He just told us over the phone to inject her with some penicillin. Sure enough, while her head did swell up like a watermelon, she was fine.


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## DaniR1968 (May 24, 2008)

I have one dog that has been bitten on the nose by a baby rattler and another time on the muzzle by a copperhead. She got horribly swollen but could eat and drink so I only gave her antihistamine. By the next day the swelling was better. 

I think it's a judgement call. I wouldn't rush a dog to the vet just because it was bit, but if you feel it could become life threatening, time for the vet. 

I'm sure your pup will be fine.

Good luck


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

How's your dog doing now? 

It's definitely "that time of year" -- I was hunting scorpions with a black light and found snake. Apparently, they fluoresce too. Gah! By the time I found my shovel and a brighter flashlight, the snake was gone.


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