Dutch Shepherd Forum

Medy was bitten by a snake on her front paw this evening. It was either a copperhead or water moccasin. I'm guessing copperhead because I did not see her go to the creek tonight. I thought she had sprained it because i heard no help or barking. I noticed swelling so i shaved the area when i got back to house and found the fang marks. We are at 24 hour emergency vet now. My question for those experienced or knowledgable with these species of snakes is would you bring your dog to the vet or simply administer Benadryl and keep an eye on them? How do you deal with snake bite? there is no antivenom given. They are giving her Anti biotics, pain meds and anti inflammatory they run some tests on clotting and fluid level. The vet thinks she will be fine. We are going to take her home and keep a close eye on her.

Oh snap! I have no experience with snake bites but will ask a couple of friends who might. Keep us updated, please!

I'm relieved to say I don't have any snakebite experience, at least not with venomous strains! (Watched my chickens gang up on a garter snake, once, that was interesting...) I'm glad your vet seems confident Medy will be okay! Keep us posted, how scary!

She is doing fine. She has eaten and drank water this morning. She was on very heavy meds last night so she was totally out of it but today she is back to her old self and does not really even limp, even before she got her first pain pill this morning. There is still a lot of swelling from paw to elbow. I have never had a dog bitten by a venomous snake unitl yesterday either. From what I have learned a bite to paw is much better then to the head, neck or body. Head neck bites can inhibit breathing from the massive swelling that will likely occur. Hopefully I don't become to much of an expert on the subject. I think I will avoid that area until we get some cool weather. There is about 1000 to 2000 acres that have been completly bull dozed down to the dirt (with only a few trees left standing here and there) directly across the creek from where I walk so we have all the critters from over there as well.

Talked with both of my friends and it sounds like the EV did standard protocol and your girl should be fine. One has a dog that has had 4 encounters with copperheads :/

wow, I am glad she is doing fine. All I have here in Ct is some garder snakes.

Hi Stacy,

Thanks for asking your friends about this. I'm curious about hearing more about the guy who has been bit 4 times by copper head. Is he ok?

Thanks

Dan

He's good. My friend said "they could probably make anti-venom out of his blood." LOL
She said Patch does the "snake dance" now...if he steps on a stick or something similar and it moves, he jumps. His first bite was on the chin and she thinks that he actually got a good dose of venom (not just saliva) because he has a big scar and the hair never grew back. He looks like he got into a knife fight. She actually told me quite a lot about snakes. It takes several days for them to make venom, so they are stingy with it, meaning that unless they have a real reason to use it, they will save it. That being said, Medy probably got a real small dose of venom as a warning.
My friend has 4 dogs and they all now know that if she yells "SNAKE!" they stop dead in their tracks and head for the house.