Treating a dog for a rattlesnake bite?

[AZ_SAWBUCK]

I think my Australian Shepard was bit by a rattle snake. I noticed her head was swelled up yesterday and thought maybe she got hit by a car. But after looking at pictures of dogs with snake bites on the internet I think she might have been bitten by a snake. I think its too late to have ant venom administered. Has anyone encountered this issue and can give me any tips on making her more comfortable? Thanks Jason

[25-06]

Give her a couple Benadryl tabs. She should be fine.

[EBB]

25-06 is absolutely right. I have a friend whose dogs get bitten almost yearly and that is what he does. Keeps them knocked out for a couple of days and they end up fine. Just need to keep an eye out for infection too.

EBB

[POB]

Dogs usually get bitten on the head and usually recover with no aftereffects. Keep an eye out for infections though.

[maydayretrievers]

Just do the right thing take her to VET. they won,t do the anti venom but they give the dog antibiotics' for secondary infections, that can lead to a lot more problems

[AZ_SAWBUCK]

Thanks Fellas

[DUG]

My dog got bit in the snout years ago in Wyoming. Her head swelled like a basketball and had a dewlap like a Brahma but never got an infection or got sick. Took a couple weeks to get to normal. There are no big blood vessels in the snout area. Hope she recovers soon.

Poor girl!

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

I had the same deal but we were watching her get bit and took her in for antivenum for 1200.00 bucks.

We now get all our dogs snake shots yearly at the vet and they said same thing just bring them in for anti inflamitory and antibiotics. Sorry to see that hope shes ok

[CouesWhitetail]

It might be an allergic reaction to some kind of insect bite or sting too. I have seen dogs swell up pretty good for those. Benadryl works for that.

 

A friend recently had the same thing happen to her dog and the vet mistakenly thought it was from a snake. Turns out he had chewed on something that lodged in his gum and got badly infected. She said the dogs breath smelled really bad....so give it a sniff or look around the dogs mouth too to make sure it's not something inside the mouth causing overall swelling.

[runningbird]

we have had dogs bit by snakes and stung by scorpions, their heads looks the same. swelled up for a week or so. Benadryl helps , if the swelling gets to be too much their airway can be compromised.

[el diablo]

/>It might be an allergic reaction to some kind of insect bite or sting too. I have seen dogs swell up pretty good for those. Benadryl works for that.

 

A friend recently had the same thing happen to her dog and the vet mistakenly thought it was from a snake. Turns out he had chewed on something that lodged in his gum and got badly infected. She said the dogs breath smelled really bad....so give it a sniff or look around the dogs mouth too to make sure it's not something inside the mouth causing overall swelling.

Ahh the sniff test. Works for a lot of things. I would think if it were a rattlesnake there would be obvious puncture wounds?

 

I've heard of a lot of dogs gettin bit by rattle snakes and recovering just fine. Hope she's ok.

[maximus]

Aspirin works very well on inflamation.

[Whitesheep]

For what it is worth, I understand the Benadryl dosage for dogs is 25 mg per 20 to 25 pounds.

 

Many years ago a 25 lb Cocker Spaniel of mine was bit in the nose by a rattler in CO. Her snout swelled up like the picture of your dog. Antivenum was $200 (Like I said it was a while back.) The vet said dogs generally do fine, but they must have antibiotics. We did the antivenum too because this was my kids dog and I already had a reputation for being cheap. Can't you hear it from mom: "Yeah, your sweet dog died because your dad's a cheap *ss." So I paid the $200 and am still married to the same mom of my kids and they barely remember. Best $200 I ever spent.

[Critter]

Amanda is right unless you are sure its a snake. Recently I was digging a hole to plant a tree and pretty sure I stirred up an Ant hill or something. My dog had laid on a blanket a few feet from where I was dumping dirt as I dug the hole for a few hours. Later on she swelled up like you wouldn't believe.... face all puffed up and was irritable and would not sleep for 4 days. in the middle of night she'd run around the house acting weird. We were so worried we took her to the vet. Benadryl helped... we would put Benadryl pills in marshmallows and give them to her. It was real scary but she pulled through it. We didn't sleep for a few days as she acted nuts. I think either one insect or bug or a colony of ants got onto her. We live in an HOA so we do not get rattle snakes in our yard. large block wall, etc...

 

Hope your dog pulls through it fine. good luck.

[lonne]

Friend of mine thought his dog was bit by a rattlesnake. Turns out the dog just had a bunch of foxtails deeply buried in its skin that swelled up and looked real bad, dog was miserable.

 

Another friend of mine's 2 dogs were bit by rattlesnakes twice...he gave them penicillin and it cleared up