Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Dog bit by copperhead

Last night around 1030, we let our 3 dogs out before going to bed. When my wife was letting them in, the youngest (and biggest) one was slobbering everywhere and droopy and had a little blood on the nose. The 3rd dog didn't come up. So she yelled down to me in the basement that something was really wrong with Toby and Stabler wouldn't get in. I ran up and saw Toby and figured he'd been tagged by a venomous snake (only 1 puncture though). So I rushed out to find Stabler and make sure he wasn't bit too. Got him inside, threw on my snake boots, and went on the hunt. In the corner of our privacy fence I saw the head of a snake sitting up and hustled over to find that it was a freaking copperhead. Shovel returns the pain infliction to the copperhead. Wife is freaking out, and I was pretty scared too bc I haven't had a dog bitten since I was a kid. Called the Trussville emergency pet care and they said to bring him in bc the swelling was only going to get worse.

We get there, they take vitals and such, then work up the estimate for anti-venin. Came back with a range of like $1153-1778! Holy crap. Luckily they said that it's typically used for rattlesnake and cottonmouth bites, not copperheads. But that there is the risk of the necrosis around the bite then getting infected. They let us discuss it, and I hopped on their wifi and read recommendations, so we chose to forego the anti-venin. Got the benadryl shot, pain medicine shot, some other shot, and a round of antibiotics.

We didn't sleep at all last night due to keeping a check on him. He's still swollen pretty good this morning, but seems ok, just whining a lot and we can't figure out why. Oh, and now he's freaking scared to come down off the deck into the grass. I finally convinced him to get in the grass to pee, then he shot like a rocket back up the stairs to the deck.

Just curious who has been through this and any tips or information on what to expect.


Cliff notes: copperhead bites dog. shovel bites copperhead. emergency vet visit. still swollen and scared. asking for advice from those who've been there.

Feed him biscuits soaked in bacon grease. When I was growing up, my Grandaddy had numerous dogs bit by rattlers and he never lost a single one. He always fed greasy pork/greased biscuits. And it's a known fact that poisonous snakes can't kill a hog because the fat absorbs the venom. And the hog will kill and eat the snake.

my mountain cur got struck twice by a water mocassin in the face at Ft Morgan last year..on the bayside on our vacation.

She had the same treatment yours got and was better within 2-3 days

X2

Have you considered moving?

Just kidding. I bet pup will be fine in a day or two. Glad you killed that sucker. Could have been worse, you or your wife could have got bit.

I think you made the right decision. I've seen dogs have worse reactions to the anti-venin than to the bite itself. When my Lab took a copperhead bite to the face a couple years ago, I chose to skip that option & have her treated as you did. She was in pretty rough shape for the first 12 hours but she made a full recovery & the wound healed without any necrosis. Dogs are tough!

Dogs don't need the anti-venom. The treatment you got is all they need. He will get better. We had a beagle bitten by a copperhead. The biggest danger is the swelling closing up the throat.

I have always used gum spirits of turpentine.Works like a charm everytime.It will make the bite literally pour fluid.I guess that's what gets the venom out.

Yeah his face swelled up pretty good and had very fast and short respirations, but the meds slowed it all down and got him calm enough to fall asleep some last night. He seems a lot better today overall, but his face is still really swollen, so he wouldn't eat hard food. Just got back from getting him some soft food, and he hammered that stuff. He's been whining/whimpering a lot today, and if we just rub him he'll stop whining and calm back down and usually fall back asleep. Hopefully he'll be back to 100% soon, and really glad we didn't fork out an extra $1000-1500 for the antivenin.

Benedryle, bacon grease

Be fine in a few days

Rattlesnake bite. ....dead in hours

I keep decadron, steroid, in the fridge for snake bites. Couple cc's as close to the bite as you can will reduce swelling and inflammation. Then a dose of Benadryl pills to call him down and also reduce reaction to venom. Most snake poison will not kill a dog it's swelling that closes the throat that poses the biggest threat. Eastern diamondback on the other hand is very commonly a death sentence.

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I had 2 beagles in the same pack get hit by a copperhead a few weeks ago, i gave them liquid benadryl a CC of penicillin and a B12 shot and they were ready to chase rabbits in a couple of days.. As previously mentioned copperhead worse on owner worrying, rattlesnake dead in a few hours.. If dog is struck in the face/neck another thing you can feed them is raw eggs if they cant swallow much. Just pour it down there throat.

Last Summer Cash got bit...

Last week he got bit 2 more times...

Well that sux! Poor feller

dang brent..thats right where mine got bit twice. Guess cause they are sniffing around.

Mine looked just about as happy about it.

The best treatment is IV steroids, antibiotics, and pain medicine. I know nothing of the anti-venin as we don't carry it and I've never seen a client wanting to spend the grand to get it. I won't get started on the "vaccine" some places sell.

My corgi got bit in the neck and they gave him steroids. Hope your dog is better soon!

Used to be a old wives tale about hitting the bite with a one of those hand held tasers as soon as possible. The theory was the shock would neutralize the venom. I know when my little brother nailed me with a cattle prod it hurt like a SOB.