Snakebit Dog, He's OK. Benadryl Worked? Snake Pic WARNING Copperhead!

[Highlander]

Poor baby.

I bet you and DH end up with only half a buttock on the edge of the sofa when he is sprawled like that. He doesn't look like he would move for anything!

 

[NancyDz]

My dog was bit by a western Diamondback rattlesnake on his nose, had two bite marks also.
I took him to the vet scared to death. His face/head was double in size from swelling. They didnt give him anti-venom, said it would mainly help with the scarring. I didnt care if he had a scar , so they kept him overnight and gave him fluids. The next day he came home. He was a 75lb dog. I know rattesnake venom varies a lot depending on the type of snake but the vet told me the main issue is the infection that could develop at the bite site when the tissue dies. So I just kept an eye on him and he healed right up.

Tiger is a cutie , glad he is doing better... hope it continues!

Nancy

 

[ranchhand]

It's only a 2 seater, a "loveseat". And he gets it all. We have a larger one, with 3 cushions- it belongs to Bingo, the Lab.

We sit at the table all the time.

 

[NancyDz]

Quote:

Sounds like my house

 

[chilling in muscadine]

I'm really happy to hear your dog has survived. My SO goes by the name of Snakeman for ovious reasons. He has been bit by 11 venomous snakes. He is a professional snake handler. There are many reason why I think your dog survived. A rattler carries hemo toxin venom which attacks the blood vessels and muscle tissue. It causes the blood vessels to rupture and leak into the muscle tissue bascially starting the digestion process.

When a snake delivers a bite depending on whats going on, the snake will deliver different amounts of venom. If the snake is not mad it can deliver whats called a dry bite which it doesn't waste any venom. In your case though with a dog there the snake had to be mad and defending itself your dogs got bit.

Giving your dog benedryl was an EXTREMLY smart move. Everytime Snakeman gets bit that is one of the first questions we are always asked by medical personal. HAS HE TAKEN AND BENEDRYL. One good thing about dogs getting bit is if they are bit on the snout, head or legs there is a VERY good chance they will survive the bite. A bite to the stomach area is almost always fatal. Also a bite to a very small dog, the outcome may not be good.

Guys please do your research on humans concernig the Benedryl. With all the snakebites I have been through with Snakeman I do know it could save your life.

Hang in there Tiger and I bet you have given up playing with snakes.

 

[cgmccary]

Nice looking dog, looks like a real scrapper. That was fast thinking on your part using the Benedryl. All rattlesnake bites aren't the same. I have seen dogs die within hours from bites on the face like that.

I have a brother who catches snakes in Florida and in his 45 years, he has been bit by a rattlesnake on 4 occasions. Only the large Eastern Diamondback landed him in the hospital (and it only got 1 fang in him); he passed out and was in intensive care. He didn't go the doctor, emergency room or anything for the other 3 bites (2 Pygmy and 1 Timber) and said the hardest time was the first night. He took Benedryl & aspirin.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
This I did not know, thank you. I was always told not to do anything other than seek immediate medical attention, for human bites. Actually I found out about the the benadryl for dogs from professor at the local college who taught animal husbandry. It save two of my dogs life, that and the shots of penicillin after they initial recovered the bite.

I will say that I am highly allergic to fire ant bites and benadryl stops immediately any reaction and I am just left with little welts, which another amazing medicine does wonders, Preparation H. Seems it will reduce about any swelling and remove toxins from the skin.

 

[ranchhand]

I guarantee you you if I had been able to get Tiger to a clinic, I would have. The troubled breathing was a really bad sign, so I was focused.

WalkingWolf gets all the credit for the Benadryl idea, and I do believe it saved Tiger. He is going to the vet first thing tomorrow, for further treatment if needed. We'll see what Dr. Tom says, he used to be the vet at the state aquarium, so he's seen a lot. And he grew up on a farm.

Any human around here gets bitten? Be it venomous or not, that person is headed for ER asap. There is a fire station 2 miles down the highway, and they know I won't waste their time. (The cookies don't hurt the relationship, either!

)

DH and I both take Benadryl twice a day, because we're allergic to darn near everything that grows here. So an extra one probably won't cause any harm, but mayn't help either. Just something to tell the medics.

Tiger is a scrapper, but he is low dog on the totem pole of 3 dogs, hence a Mama's baby. He came screaming for me, and I knew something was wrong.

He has probably NOT given up on snakes, because the grove of anise trees is full of them. And Tiger is a booger!

 

[chilling in muscadine]

We are in the south to. Eastern diamond backs have both neuro and hemo toxic venom which is like a double wammy. They have extremly bad venom. What it boils down to is how ticked the snake is as to how much venom the snake pumps into you when it does bite. The snake can either load you down with venom or give you just a warning bite.

We know a lot of snake handlers and the eastern diamondback is always treated with extra care. Man its just a nasty bite. Snakeman is allergic to the anti-venom so he has to suffer through the experience without it.

And yes a dog bit on the snout can die but it has a better chance of living than being bit on the stomach. Also the amount of venom the snake administers plays a huge part to.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

What we do every spring is to catch a black race. Black racers have a bad attitued but they are not venomous. We will blow on the racers face, get it good and mad and then let it latch onto each of our dogs noses, all 16 of them. Then we will have to prise the snake off our dogs snouts. This usually will break the dogs wanting to go after snakes. This may sound mean to some but it seems to work. Just an idea if you have a dog bad about going after snakes.