My dog got snakebit.

BOBBYWINS

At least that's the only thing I can figure out.Two,what appears to be puncture wounds above his right eye and two more on his right jaw.His head is swollen twice it's normal size.Otherwise,he seems fine and is drinking water,but doesn't seem to want to eat anything.
I've been told to just leave him alone and he'll be fine.What do you folks think?

BW

IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.

alledan

A trip to the vet would be in order for the dog. He could take a turn for the worse.

Usually non-venumous snakes won't make that kind of damage. Venum or an infection could cause brain damage, heart damage and death.

chollagardens

Time to see the Vet. Hemotoxin is painful and can do ugly things to flesh.

Doc Feelgood

With the fang marks you have described, it was a pit-viper(rattlesnake, water moccasin, or copperhead) that bit your dog. It would be advisable to have your dog checked by a veterinarian. Too many factors are involved to make one blanket statement. Size of dog, age of dog, size of snake (affects amount of venom) and other factors are involved. If the dog comes through it okey (probably will) the most common complication is a large abcess which will rupture and can be real nasty to treat. HTH

Nighthawk

Certain types of venom can cause an acute hemorage that can be difficult to stop depending on the severity of the your dogs reaction to the venom.The thirst concerns me about a possible loss of blood.The swelling near the brain is also a concern.He needs to see a vet and at least take a IV of vitamin K,which helps blood platelets form together better to clot bleeding.Keep us informed.

Rugster




"Toujours Pret"

grdad45

My Malamute got bit in the nose by a big cottonmouth. Our vet said that the risk of infection is better treated up front rather than after it is evident. An antibiotic shot is in order asap.
The others are right about the size of the dog having a lot to do with the effects, but even at 100 lbs my dog swelled as big as a basketball.

SilverBox

Where I grew up our dogs used to get tagged by rattlers all the time. Some breeds of dog are more resistant then others. It got to be pretty routine for us. We had a big bottle of cortezone pills the vet prescribed and we'd just give the dog that was bit pills for a few days to a week to cut down on the swelling. Always did the trick.

eastwood44mag

1.) Take him to the vet.

2.) follow him around everywhere with a 12 gauge and eliminate your reptile problem

O Lord,
grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can,
and the supreme firepower to make the difference.

TrinityScrimshaw

I had a pit-bull once that liked to hunt for Mr. No-shoulders. She got bit a few times, and it was always in the face. This would make her mad and she would rip the snake into little bitty chucks of reptile. She always got bit in the face, and there was a lot of swelling involved. However, this dog was a very pleasant animal until after the second bite, and over night she started being hostile towards any other animal that crossed her path. I had to keep her kenneled for the last two years of her life, because she eradicated all the neighborhood cats, attacked horse, and wanted to kill my other pit-bull, which she couldn't have done. This dog would sit and play with my then four year old daughter like an angel. But, let her see a squirrel in a tree in the back yard, and she would run and jump up seven feet into the fork of the tree. She would climb up the branches trying to get the critter. It was quite humorous at the time, but she as nice as a dog as she was, she became a liability. I had to have her put down after she chewed up a neighbor's dog, but even though she was a pit-bull I couldn't help but wonder if something got her brain all crossed up after she was bitten by the last snake? My vet didn't do much that I can recall, but I would consider taking your dog to the vet. Especially since one of the bite areas is so close to its eyes.

Trinity +++

"Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."(Proverbs 22:6)

nunn

My old collie-mix Nick thought it was his mission in life to rid the world of Cottonmouths and armadillos. There were plenty of both on my dad's place in SW Arkansas.

The first time he was bitten by a Cottonmouth, I witnessed it and took Nick to the vet. The vet said there was little to worry about. He gave Nick a shot of steroids to keep the swelling down, lest his throat swell shut. He might have given him antibiotics, but I remember the corticosteroids.

The vet said Nick would either get better in a few days or die. Nick got better, but he laid around and acted like he felt bad for a few days.

After that, whenever Nick tangled with a Cottonmouth, I didn't take him to the vet. He laid around for a few days, feeling bad, and then got better.

I forget how many times it was, but the old dog never would leave the snakes alone. He was vicious about it, but not smart. He would grab the snake amidships and give it a hearty shake. This would generally kill the snake, but not before it got a bite or two in.

Big dogs usually get over snakebites with little trouble.

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stevedz313

See the Vet!!



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shooter4

If you love your pooch, see the vet.

CS8161

BENADRYL, 50 MG!

Chris8161
Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof!

MuddBugg

Big dogs usually get over snakebites with little trouble.

Nunn's right, most bigger dogs will recover just fine after a few days as long as there aren't multiple bites. Bites to the head are rarely fatal and my vet has told me many times there isn't much he can do for one anyway. Sometimes it just plain makes you feel better to try everything you can, especially if he dosent make it. Best of luck to you and your poch. MB

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Cotton

What works wonders for anything thats been poisoned is ....
Take 5 cubes of charcoal like you would use in a cooking grill except dont use the self starting ones .... grind them up into a fine powder & mix the powder to 1 gallon of water, when they drink it the charcoal will absorb the poison in there system and pass it
Used it for everything works good for cattle thats been foundered on acorns, works good for dogs also thats been poisoned by rat poison
The Vet can give you the same thing but it's high $$, hospitials are using it also for people who have been poisoned.
Just a thought but other than that see a Vet.