Snake training for dogs

[Zachlanning1]

Glad someone posted this thread, I have an upland dog that and I need to get him trained for snakes since I am moving to Texas this fall and will be hunting quail. This is great info to know. Thanks Muleyfever for starting this thread.

 

[George]

My new property in north east Kentucky is in snake country and my neighbors lab was killed by a snake last summer. Tank's first training session, two weeks ago, he was tagged on the nose by a rat snake.




Two hours later I had to spread clover seed on a reopened logging trail up on my hill over top a 5' timber rattlesnake.



On Tank's second rat snake encounter he at least knew to stay out of the strike zone.



G

 

[Az Rancher]

Thanks for this thread. There is some valuable information that has been shared here. Lots of snakes here in southern Az but only had one dog killed by snake bite. We had a springier spaniel when I was a kid and he would bite them in the middle and shake his head so fast he would break their necks.

 

[BroodBuster]

I got lucky with both of my Britt’s. They both blatantly ignored snakes. I too bird hunt Coulees so we’ve run into a lot of them.

 

[cuerro viejo]

The training works but I suggest refresher courses atleast every other year.

The shot is most effective closest to the post booster shot date.

The Shot is like buying supplemental insurance it helps but it’s not major medical if that makes senses.

 

[MarlinMark]

Not sure what to say other than that is full of bad information.



There is no data anywhere that would support or purport the use of Benadryl for snake bites. Benadryl is an anit histamine, snake bites have little to nothing to do with histamines. The venom is a hemotoxin with enzymes that cause tissue destruction, none of which are histamine mediated.

There is only one treatment that is undisputed and scientifically proven, anti venin. It neutralizes the toxins in the venom. The biggest issue is cost, it is expensive to treat with a sufficient dose to be effective.

Not much of anything he says in that article is correct.

Isn't the swelling that would occur to the tongue and mouth area a histamine reaction? Wouldn't this help keep the air way open?

 

[bertha]

Following!this seems like a very interesting thread

 

[jmez]

Isn't the swelling that would occur to the tongue and mouth area a histamine reaction? Wouldn't this help keep the air way open?

No. The swelling is due to breakdown of the walls of the blood vessels by both hemotoxic and cytotoxic proteins in the venom, not from a histamine release. The vessels begin to leak the fluid component of the blood into surrounding tissues causing the swelling.

Histamine mediated reactions with snakebites isn't mentioned in any scientific papers I have ever read on the subject. The only indication for antihistamines is when you are administering anti venin. Anaphylactic reactions can occur to the anti venin and antihistamines are beneficial in these reactions. That is the only indication and reference you will find for snakebites and antihistamines in both the human and animal literature.