Dog and Rattlesnake Bites

[GueroUlt]

We live in the low desert country in Az and have recently been seeing a lot of rattlers as it’s started to cool off a bit. We have a bloodhound that we let run around in the desert, he is trained with an E-collar for recall so he goes where his nose takes him and comes back when we call him. He had rattlesnake avoidance training about 6 months ago so hopefully with that nose he’ll smell them from far away and not get close. Though he can be a bonehead and eventually will have a run in with one. He hasn’t yet, luckily. Anyways, what has been your experience with your dogs and rattlesnake bites? Did they survive with/without antivenom?

 

[kopecsean]

Pretty Pup!

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[Fatcamp]

There is a vaccine. We have been debating having our vet order it. Pup just turned a year. Lots of desert/rattlesnake country.

 

[GueroUlt]

There is a vaccine. We have been debating having our vet order it. Pup just turned a year. Lots of desert/rattlesnake country.


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I looked into that as well, I just couldn’t find any research that proved how well it worked or if it even actually worked. I figured avoidance training would be better to hopefully avoid it in the first place instead of wasting money on something that may or may not work.

 

[Fatcamp]

Let me ask my wife. She's the smart one.

 

[wesfromky]

I had a dog that was bitten by a rattlesnake. Had to go to the vet and all, but just ended up with a pretty swollen paw, which went away in a couple days. They pretty much just addressed the swelling and potential for infection.

I had a friend get bit by one, and he was messed up - hospital for several days, anti-venom, six figure hospital bill.

 

[huntngolf]

The vaccine works. If there are a lot of rattlers around definitely get it. You can train a dog all you want but they could accidentally step on one at any time. A good friend of mine lost a dog last year from a rattlesnake bite. Was cheap and thought they could get by without the vaccine.

On a somewhat related note, here's how my dog got "trained" to not go by snakes. When he was a young pup (4 months or so) he came across a big bull snake. Went up to play with it and the bull snake beat the crap out of him. It was crazy, bull snake wrapped him up and went after him for a good minute before the dog got away. He stays at least 5 feet away from any snake he sees now and he's 8 years old

 

[Dos Perros]

I used to give the vaccine, the cost was low compared to other investments I was making into my hunting and losing a skilled hunting dog would be very devastating and expensive and timely to replace.

In my experience most dogs survive no problem, but my experience is limited to prairie rattlesnakes of the northern plains, little fellers. Your desert diamondbacks are a whole other class of snakes. I think it'd be prudent to either vaccinate him or not, but also have on hand some Benedryl and syringe ready for injection to hold him over until you can get to a vet.

 

[3forks]

I looked into that as well, I just couldn’t find any research that proved how well it worked or if it even actually worked. I figured avoidance training would be better to hopefully avoid it in the first place instead of wasting money on something that may or may not work.

I moved to Montana to pretty much hunt upland birds, and lived there for 20 years. I ran big running pointing dogs in snakey country, and snakes were a significant risk because my dogs were often out of my sight when hunting.

I would snake break my dogs and also use the Red Rock vaccine (since about 2005), but I never had a dog bitten.

I have a good friend who is a veterinarian with a practice in the ranch town I lived in. My vet buddy was an early proponent of the Red Rocks vaccine because he sees a lot of working dogs and horses that have been bitten.

The dogs and horses that received the vaccine and the booster do significantly better than the dogs he‘s seen without it.

Properly snake breaking a dog is the best insurance, but you if also vaccinate your dog, you’ve done about all you can do.

 

[MattB355]

Anti venom isn't cheap. A couple who stays at Usery in an RV had their little dog bitten by one under their camper and had to spend $5000 on antivenom but the dog made it and is now fine. Any preventative steps you can take in advance would be wise. I would hate to see your pup get tagged and go through the pain or worse.

 

[rooster440]

We live in the low desert country in Az and have recently been seeing a lot of rattlers as it’s started to cool off a bit. We have a bloodhound that we let run around in the desert, he is trained with an E-collar for recall so he goes where his nose takes him and comes back when we call him. He had rattlesnake avoidance training about 6 months ago so hopefully with that nose he’ll smell them from far away and not get close. Though he can be a bonehead and eventually will have a run in with one. He hasn’t yet, luckily. Anyways, what has been your experience with your dogs and rattlesnake bites? Did they survive with/without antivenom?

I love your hound! My bloodhound passed away in February. Great dogs!


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[rayporter]

lost one a few years ago. had one get bit a few months ago with little problems. got a shot and some pills and she was laid up a few days taking Benadryl
.

she had huge fang marks. i was sure she had been shot but doc said it was just a big one.
many a farm dog is never doctored and does just fine. may have a head swelled up the size of a beach ball but they survive.

 

[GueroUlt]

I love your hound! My bloodhound passed away in February. Great dogs!


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Sorry to hear, I am loathing that day. They are great dogs! Even though they can be buttheads at times.

 

[GueroUlt]

lost one a few years ago. had one get bit a few months ago with little problems. got a shot and some pills and she was laid up a few days taking Benadryl
.

she had huge fang marks. i was sure she had been shot but doc said it was just a big one.
many a farm dog is never doctored and does just fine. may have a head swelled up the size of a beach ball but they survive.

It’s wild to me that some dogs can make it just fine and others end up dying. With or without the antivenom. My fiancé’s family Friend has a dog that was bit in the eye and that eye is now dead but the dog is fine. I never asked the whole story about whether they got the antivenom but I’ll ask next time I see them.

 

[Patton]

I know several folks who've had a dog bitten and it seems the dogs hit on the head do the best. One beagle was bit 3 separate occasions in South Texas, all on the head. I just had round one of the vaccine given to my 8month old lab and she'll get round 2 in three weeks. Benadryl can be given to dogs at 1mg/2lb of dog weight (I *think* that's the ratio, double check though). For a cost reference, a good hunting buddy's dog was bit this summer on the snout; just under $1500 in vet fees including antivenin and she was back to normal (minus swelling) in 2-3 days.

 

[Fatcamp]

I used to give the vaccine, the cost was low compared to other investments I was making into my hunting and losing a skilled hunting dog would be very devastating and expensive and timely to replace.

In my experience most dogs survive no problem, but my experience is limited to prairie rattlesnakes of the northern plains, little fellers. Your desert diamondbacks are a whole other class of snakes. I think it'd be prudent to either vaccinate him or not, but also have on hand some Benedryl and syringe ready for injection to hold him over until you can get to a vet.

Can you go more into detail about Benadryl injections? Are you getting it from your vet?

We carry oral Benadryl and beef jerky.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Snake training for your dog is a good investment. Especially since you have rattlers and coral snakes there. The coral snakes will mess a hound up.

How To Treat K9 Coral Snake Bites - Working Dog HQ

K9 coral snake bites can lead to paralysis and death in working dogs. Learn the emergency treatment that could save your dog's life!

workingdoghq.com

.

 

[Fatcamp]

Thanks, OP. Vet has it in stock and will administer on Saturday@0900.

Will ask then about IM diphenhydramine/Benadryl.

 

[Rokwiia]

Turtleskin has protection for a dog's chest and neck:

https://turtleskin.com/default/outdoor-snake-protection/dogarmor-dog-hunting-vest.html

 

[30338]

Snake trained mine and get the vaccine every spring. I try to only bird hunt under 55 degrees for several reasons, snakes being one. But if you were hunting in warm weather in snake country, I'd snake train and vaccine. Ups your odds at least.