Dog snakebite

Red Marley

Red Marley

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One of my beagle mix dogs (the older one) got bit on the side of the nose by a copperhead today. No doubt about it being a copperhead (now deceased). Swelling of face and neck, and apparent pain. Took her to the emergency vet, they gave an injection for pain. Did blood work, coagulation test was about five percentage points low (it took them three tries to do the test — I don’t have a lot of confidence in the lab work, and they said they had been having trouble with it). They recommended leaving her overnight and administering antivenom. I declined this treatment, and we’ll take her to our regular vet tomorrow.

This is not our first time around with snakebit dogs, we’ve been down this road four or five times. I don’t believe we have used antivenom with any of them, and so far all have recovered after a few days. But I acknowledge that every case is different. The emergency vet gave us gabapentin, which she is taking, but I can tell she is still suffering. I don’t want to put her through unnecessary treatment, but certainly will if it’s necessary this time. We’ll see what our regular vet says, but I would like to hear from guys who have more experience with this. Have you found antivenom to be necessary for a 25-lb dog?
 
HandyDave said:
Haven't had a dog bit by snake so don't have anything on the subject to add. But I am sorry to hear about your pup and hope it has a quick recovery. I enjoy seeing the pics you post of them 2 running and ripping along the trails you go on.
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We’ve been on every trail, creek and lake in Wake County and some of the surrounding counties — never been snakebit in the woods, only in our yard, and only on Sundays 🙄. Mama has a garden, and that attracts little critters, and they attract… snakes. This is the worst time of year for it. Thanks for your kind words @HandyDave, I hope you will see this old girl back on the trail soon. I would rather be in the hospital myself than leave her overnight at the vet.
 
My lab was bit on the side of the face. Vet prescribed some antibiotics for about 5 days. Told us to give him some Benadryl for a couple days and to keep the bite area clean and washed if he got it dirty. No anti-venom, granted he out weighed yours by about 45 pounds.

Hope they get to feeling better soon.
 
Most dogs don’t need anti-venom for copperhead. Watch swelling and breathing. If that happens, then antivenom may help. Control pain and may need antibiotics if a secondary infection develops.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) envenomation of dogs: 52 cases (2004-2011) - PubMed

Copperhead envenomation is common within the US, and no studies exist describing the clinical course of copperhead envenomation in dogs. Almost all treatment decisions regarding those bites are extrapolated from retrospective studies evaluating the clinical course of rattlesnake bites. Because...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 
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As others have said, gabapentin is good for pain, watch breathing and Benadryl if necessary but we haven’t needed it. After the third trip (separate bites, beagles stick their nose everywhere) we talked more to the vet. Basically they can administer anti venom for 48ish hours. If you see hair falling out and skin discoloration those are the warning signs where the antivenom might be more necessary.

And good luck. You’re lucky it’s Sunday. Mine seemed to like to be bitten Friday around 8:30 PM.
 
Sierra got nailed right on the snout by a Copperhead about five years ago. Happened on a walk and I immediately took her to the emergency vet (picture from waiting room).

The doc gave her a shot of antibiotics and a large bolus of sub cutaneous fluids to help flush everything out (looked like a camel walking out of there). Gabapentin for pain. No antivenom.

Sierra is a bit larger dog - she was around 50lbs at the time, but had some significant health stuff going on still from her prior home.

She recovered fully with no lasting effects except the scars on her nose where the tissue never regrew hair.

Sorry your girl got hit and wish her the best. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Dogs are tougher than us.

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We found it unnecessary with our 3 year old, 14lb, pregnant with 5 puppies, Shiba Inu.

She was the 2nd of 3 dogs to get bit by a copperhead in one swing. We rushed them all in a frenzy to the emergency vet, and when faced with the bill for the x3 dog visit, antivenom, and over night care...we simply couldn't afford it and felt it not right to pay care for one and not the others. We paid for the narcotics, self administered, and stayed up with them all night.

Fortunately, all 3 dogs survived, and all 5 puppies were born a few weeks after without a single issue. She wears her scars as strong as such a little dog can.

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Verus said:
Dogs are tougher than us.
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In fairness I know a guy that got bit. Crazy cook at a restaurant. He drank cranberry juice and said he felt like he had a good buzz for the evening. Followed by a splitting headache next day. Guess in hindsight he might have just been drunk. But no hospital even for him.
 
Also have a friend with some “family” hunting dogs that basically run free. One loves to chase snakes down by the river and has been tagged by moccasins more than once. Usually more trouble with some necrosis but has also pulled through okay a couple times. That’d make me more nervous though.
 
Our pit got bit on the snout and it swelled up pretty bad. The emergency vet gave him an antihistamine and watched him for a couple of hours and sent him home. Swelling went down pretty quickly. He was better after a day or so.

He's been a snake hunter ever since. Unfortunately, he doesn't discriminate between types. He grabs them and immediately shakes them back and forth making a loud flapping noise. They don't survive that.
 
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No experience with snake bites but wanted to say I hope she will make a quick recovery. Our Rosie had a penchant for chasing bees which usually did not end well about once a year.
 
Red Marley said:
One of my beagle mix dogs (the older one) got bit on the side of the nose by a copperhead today. No doubt about it being a copperhead (now deceased). Swelling of face and neck, and apparent pain. Took her to the emergency vet, they gave an injection for pain. Did blood work, coagulation test was about five percentage points low (it took them three tries to do the test — I don’t have a lot of confidence in the lab work, and they said they had been having trouble with it). They recommended leaving her overnight and administering antivenom. I declined this treatment, and we’ll take her to our regular vet tomorrow.

This is not our first time around with snakebit dogs, we’ve been down this road four or five times. I don’t believe we have used antivenom with any of them, and so far all have recovered after a few days. But I acknowledge that every case is different. The emergency vet gave us gabapentin, which she is taking, but I can tell she is still suffering. I don’t want to put her through unnecessary treatment, but certainly will if it’s necessary this time. We’ll see what our regular vet says, but I would like to hear from guys who have more experience with this. Have you found antivenom to be necessary for a 25-lb dog?
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Give your dog buttermilk. It works. No reason why, but it does work. I raised deer hounds for years and when one got bit we would give it all the buttermilk it would drink. Never lost one.
 
One of ours got bit a few months ago and we couldn’t spare the $2000 the vet wanted for the antivenin treatment. We did get antibiotics though.

The swelling started in her nose and slowly worked its way down to her chest. She made a full recovery and is back to normal.

Good luck with your dog @Red Marley
 
Red Marley said:
She’s a little better, swelling mostly gone down. She’s quiet and not moving much, but that could be the gabapentin. We’ll see her regular vet in a little while. Thanks for asking
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Keep us posted please
 
Oh no ! Sorry to read about this happening but good to hear she's getting better now. Fortunately we've not found any copperheads in our yard, just on the streets.
 
Dogs are especially resilient compared to people. Have had two labs bit over the years. One on the front leg, healed up with no treatment. The next on the side of the lip (just one fang) by a tiny copperhead. Bite to the lip worried me with the swelling, but one evening in the vets with fluids and anti-biotics and she was good as new within a week. Hopefully your pup does not have any lasting effects.
 
Patient is recovering well and asking when she can get back to chasin’ rabbits. We’re burnin’ daylight!
IMG_9906.jpeg
No apparent lasting effects except her voice has changed. I’ve no reason to believe she won’t be back to normal in a week or so. Thanks for all the info, support and advice, public and private. I’m feeling better now myself!
 
Red Marley said:
Patient is recovering well and asking when she can get back to chasin’ rabbits. We’re burnin’ daylight!
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No apparent lasting effects except her voice has changed. I’ve no reason to believe she won’t be back to normal in a week or so. Thanks for all the info, support and advice, public and private. I’m feeling better now myself!
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Best news I've heard this week!
 
That’s the thing about copperhead bites…they almost all get better with no specific treatments

This makes soooo many “remedies” work magically!

The antihistamines and antibiotics are also probably unnecessary.

Water moccasins, rattlers and coral snakes are a different ballgame though
 
A co worker was bit by a copperhead, and only suffered the puncture wounds. The ER doc said that mature copperheads save their venom for prey which he wasn't, just a person who greatly annoyed the snake.
 
I love a story with a happy ending. Happy trails for you and doggo.

PS: Watched out our back window as our outdoor cat at the time was batting at something in the yard. Went to go take a look and it was a copperhead. I got the (unbitten but fearless) cat inside and scootched the copperhead back into the woods with a broom.
 
I think some vets (and most online advice sites) are too eager to push the antivenom treatment. I guess it’s a CYA move but antivenom has its own negative side effects, one of which is on your bank account. The emergency vet acted like we were abusing our dog by declining the antivenom, and made us sign a release saying we had refused treatment against medical advice. Our dog got no antibiotics and no antivenom, only a pain med (which was needed) and after examination by our regular vet, was prescribed nothing. I’d emphasize that every case is different, though. You want to establish a relationship with a vet you trust.
 
Red Marley said:
I think some vets (and most online advice sites) are too eager to push the antivenom treatment. I guess it’s a CYA move but antivenom has its own negative side effects, one of which is on your bank account. The emergency vet acted like we were abusing our dog by declining the antivenom, and made us sign a release saying we had refused treatment against medical advice. Our dog got no antibiotics and no antivenom, only a pain med (which was needed) and after examination by our regular vet, was prescribed nothing. I’d emphasize that every case is different, though. You want to establish a relationship with a vet you trust.
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That paper I posted is the ONLY copperhead paper for dogs that I know of. Most vets haven’t read it and it isn’t in most textbooks which are almost all based on rattlesnakes etc.

They are just going by textbooks, online and school which are mostly wrong in this specific instance. Tough to judge them harshly when they are recommending what’s in the most common resources.
 
P01135809 said:
That paper I posted is the ONLY copperhead paper for dogs that I know of. Most vets haven’t read it and it isn’t in most textbooks which are almost all based on rattlesnakes etc.

They are just going by textbooks, online and school which are mostly wrong in this specific instance. Tough to judge them harshly when they are recommending what’s in the most common resources.
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That’s a good paper 👍
 
My 8yo 65# cur/mutt got bit about an hour ago. It was just about dark and I never saw the thing, just saw the dog jump about 3 feet in the air. Obvious puncture wounds on his lower leg. Some minor swelling.

The ‘net tells me what signs to watch for to know if it’s venomous, but what’s your say? How long do I wait/watch before going to the vet? If it was just a non-venomous bite I’m thinking he’ll be just fine so long as we keep it clean.

He’s hobbling around in obvious discomfort, but never yelped or cried out.
 
Sorry to hear it Tim. If it's a venomous snake, you should be seeing some real swelling by now. If no significant swelling you're probably OK to wait and take him to the vet in the morning. But if you have reason to think it's a venomous snake other than a copperhead (rattlesnake, moccasin) and you got significant swelling, I'd be looking for an emergency vet. Others may know better. Extremities are not as bad as face.
 
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Venomous snakes can bite but not envenomate whatever they bit. Even with a “dry bite”, there’s risk of infection from the bacteria
 
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