# Snake bites, your dog or you



## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 3, 2019)

So if you are out traveling around, and you or your dog get bitten by a snake what do you do? Really, what do you do?


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## iamwhatiam (Nov 4, 2019)

I guess just hope for the best if you're out in the middle of nowhere.

Honestly, it's one of my biggest fears for my dog. I haven't traveled much in a few years and I wonder about that. We don't have poisonous snakes here in WA west of the cascades so I don't worry about it. But we spend a lot of time in the woods, and my dog has a fascination with rocks and turning them over with his nose, so it's a concern of mine whenever we head over to the eastside of the state


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## Spazz (Nov 5, 2019)

I worry about this too. Right now I can pick her up and run like hell to the car and the 24 hour emergency vet but I'm seriously maxing out the unpayable credit card debt and would definitely appreciate some tips on first aid for dogs.

I was taught to cut an X on the bite with a razor blade, suck out the blood, and apply a turniquet, but the internet says that was bad advice and completely outdated.


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## Dameon (Nov 5, 2019)

If you or your dog get bitten by a snake, you need antivenom. There's no substitute treatment, you cannot cut, bleed, or suck out the venom. If you have a dog, and you're in the desert, I highly recommend you get a bottle of rattlesnake vaccine. It's cheap ($10-$20), and you give it to the dog before they get bit, so you don't need to rush off to the vet. I personally generally keep my dog on the leash in the desert; there's too much trouble they can get into out there.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 5, 2019)

Dameon said:


> If you or your dog get bitten by a snake, you need antivenom. There's no substitute treatment, you cannot cut, bleed, or suck out the venom. If you have a dog, and you're in the desert, I highly recommend you get a bottle of rattlesnake vaccine. It's cheap ($10-$20), and you give it to the dog before they get bit, so you don't need to rush off to the vet. I personally generally keep my dog on the leash in the desert; there's too much trouble they can get into out there.


Wait, you give it to the dog before they get bit? Is that a typo?


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## BradKajukenbo (Nov 5, 2019)

Here in Nor-Cal, we have to watch out for Timber Rattlers and Western Diamondbacks. Mostly Timber Rattlers.

I have come close to being bitten by a timber rattler. I was going up the steps of my back porch and I didn't see it under the steps. No rattle warning, it struck out and got the toe of my boot which I wear steel toes. It had 3 buttons on it. 

As it was suggested already, carry anti-venom for yourself. For your dogs, I do every year for mine, get them a Rattlesnake Vaccine. Just like a ribies vaccine.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 5, 2019)

BradKajukenbo said:


> Here in Nor-Cal, we have to watch out for Timber Rattlers and Western Diamondbacks. Mostly Timber Rattlers.
> 
> I have come close to being bitten by a timber rattler. I was going up the steps of my back porch and I didn't see it under the steps. No rattle warning, it struck out and got the toe of my boot which I wear steel toes. It had 3 buttons on it.
> 
> As it was suggested already, carry anti-venom for yourself. For your dogs, I do every year for mine, get them a Rattlesnake Vaccine. Just like a ribies vaccine.


Oh wow, I didn't know there is a vaccine for snake bites.
I'm from the East, and I've never actually heard of that, but sounds pretty useful, thank you!


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## Lost in transit (Nov 5, 2019)

I would never let my dog get hurt .


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 5, 2019)

Lost in transit said:


> I would never let my dog get hurt .


Oh that's so sweet of you, little new Yorker. But unfortunately, many of us are out here in THE REAL WORLD in mountainous areas and such where we can't always control our environs. 
Nobody WANTS their dog to get hurt (as your city slicker treat a dog like a baby mentality presupposes).
Go eat some more factory farmed meat and please leave our thread alone.


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## BradKajukenbo (Nov 5, 2019)

Travelisinvigorating said:


> Oh wow, I didn't know there is a vaccine for snake bites.
> I'm from the East, and I've never actually heard of that, but sounds pretty useful, thank you!



I think the vet I take my dog to only charges me $6-$10 for the vaccine. It will save your dogs life. 

The vaccine stimulates a *dog* to create his own antibodies to rattlesnake venom that will protect him from bites that happen in the future. 
https://www.methowvalleyvethospital.com/rattlesnake-vaccine-faq.html


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## WyldLyfe (Nov 5, 2019)

Ay, don't gotta dog but iv seen snakes while travelling around a few times, they normally don't want to attack, or they'll give you a warning first, like the rattle snake in america shakes its tail to say hey buddy fuck off.. most the time when iv seen them they slither away, actually every time, I almost stood on a tiger snake once while I was walking bare foot through a creek area, it was next to the path just laying there stretched out but for some fucking reason I thought it wasn't real, I looked around and though did someone put this here as a joke? it didn't look real, so I leaned in closer to have a look.. and it dashed off through the grass, that was a while back when I didn't know too much about snakes. Iv mostly seen tiger snakes, red belly black snakes and pythons in the wild (Pythons aren't venomous)

As for dogs though, I know two people who'v had there dogs bitten and killed by snakes, one was a tiger snake it got three dogs, the other not sure but it got two dogs.. both these incidences happened in peoples own back yards, if possible train the dog to identify and stay away from snakes or keep it on a lead (like someone else said) when going through areas you think may have snakes, in some places snakes don't come out to much in the colder months but come out when its hotter months too, seasonal awareness can help.


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## Lost in transit (Nov 6, 2019)

I’m not from New York. I spent over six month in wilderness program with no gear. That was before I was 17. I’m 33 now. I do enjoy grilled meats and I would take shots for my dog right now. He’s older and has been with me through it all. I would do anything for him.


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## Lost in transit (Nov 6, 2019)

Where are you from? The mountains in the east? What state? I feel bad for that dog in ur picture. I guess he’s just company for you


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Lost in transit said:


> Where are you from? The mountains in the east? What state? I feel bad for that dog in ur picture. I guess he’s just company for you


Wow, you're fucking piece of fucking shit dud


Lost in transit said:


> Where are you from? The mountains in the east? What state? I feel bad for that dog in ur picture. I guess he’s just company for you


hey idiot, do you not realize that I started this thread out of concern for us and our dogs? The whole thread was started in order to properly understand what to do in the event that a dog is bit by a snake you fucking idiot.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Lost in transit said:


> Where are you from? The mountains in the east? What state? I feel bad for that dog in ur picture. I guess he’s just company for you


actually idiot, I care more about my dog than you will ever know and that is the reason why I started this thread in order to know what to do in an emergency situation.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Dameon said:


> If you or your dog get bitten by a snake, you need antivenom. There's no substitute treatment, you cannot cut, bleed, or suck out the venom. If you have a dog, and you're in the desert, I highly recommend you get a bottle of rattlesnake vaccine. It's cheap ($10-$20), and you give it to the dog before they get bit, so you don't need to rush off to the vet. I personally generally keep my dog on the leash in the desert; there's too much trouble they can get into out there.


Yeah, I keep my dog on leash in the desert also, and at night no matter where I am.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Lost in transit said:


> I’m not from New York. I spent over six month in wilderness program with no gear. That was before I was 17. I’m 33 now. I do enjoy grilled meats and I would take shots for my dog right now. He’s older and has been with me through it all. I would do anything for him.


Dude, we would do any things for our dogs also probably more than you frankly that's why I started this thread so we know what to do in the event of an emergency.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

I'd like this thread closed please by the moderatorsl. we have enough useful info here in this dude is come in here and basically sabotaged it.


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## Lost in transit (Nov 6, 2019)

Meltdown


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 6, 2019)

Travelisinvigorating said:


> I'd like this thread closed please by the moderatorsl. we have enough useful info here in this dude is come in here and basically sabotaged it.



@Travelisinvigorating you need to calm down. just because someone has one offhand remark to your thread doesn't mean you get to go off on a tirade of flaming the other person. you can have disagreements here without insulting others. consider this a verbal warning.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Matt Derrick said:


> @Travelisinvigorating you need to calm down. just because someone has one offhand remark to your thread doesn't mean you get to go off on a tirade of flaming the other person. you can have disagreements here without insulting others. consider this a verbal warning.


Sorry, my bad. My appologies. Can you at least ban him or something? 
I bet if I got bitten by a snake he would just stand there.


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## WyldLyfe (Nov 6, 2019)

Ay, going to add a bit more here.

Most snakes don't look to encounter humans. The problems humans face with snakes usually arise due to accidental encounters or human actions towards the snake so both of these problems can be managed from the human side.

What snakes are in your area? Are they venomous or non-venomous, or a mix of the two? Have you spent some time looking at images of the snakes in your area to enable you know the type of snake should you encounter one? What are the specific habits of the snakes in your local area? All this knowledge can help you to avoid them or keep safe should you encounter one.

Snakes hear differently from humans*,* they lack external ears*.* However, they can hear through their inner ear via their jawbone, and what they hear are vibrations. Thus, having a heavy footfall as you walk will help to alert a snake you're coming, allowing it to slither off in the opposite direction. This inability to hear in the same way that we do can be used to your advantage, as you can alert your fellow humans that you have come across a snake without any concern that your talking will aggravate it.

For the most part, snakes like places like under rocks, on ledges, in trees, inside hollow logs, under wood piles and in shrubs. They can also be found in water both land and water based snakes can swim. They can easily be overlooked for leaf litter, sticks and plant materials. This is why you are at greater risk of encountering a snake when going off-path and into thick vegetation. The human defensive skill when walking amid potentially dangerous wildlife is vision and whenever human sight is reduced, the risk increases. One example of a snake that relies on its camouflage over moving out of the way is the Australian death adder. It will often remain coiled up, relying on the leaf litter as camouflage. This is why you must not rely on vibration alone, but also use sight (look for coiled, round shapes in this instance), while you could also gently prod through vegetation with a large stick before heading across it. This is yet another reason why you need to be aware of what type of snakes are in the area and their typical habits.

Things to watch for can include. The snake curls itself up, in some snake species, this can be a sign it is getting ready to strike. The snake raises its head, When done in reaction to an encounter, it is a fairly good indicator that the snake is getting ready to strike. Striking distance of a snake is generally about half the snake's body length but you should give the snake at least double that length of space between you and it. Moreover, this is dependent on the snake type, hence the need for learning more about the snakes in your area.

Wear the appropriate clothing, especially for your feet and legs. Ninety percent of snake bites are focused on the ankle area, so it makes sense to cover up these parts of your body. This means wearing long pants and boots. Since a snake's bite instinctively clamps on, if it gets nothing more than pants, you may avoid a bite on your skin. Looser pants also allow for better airflow that cools you in warmer weather (the weather you're more likely to encounter snakes in). Thick socks are an extra layer of protection, provided you can stand them if it's hot. Don't rely on clothing alone, as it is just one part of your whole line of defensive actions. There is no guarantee a snake won't bite through clothing.

Also snakes will naturally gravitate towards warm roads and pathways when these have residual heat as darkness falls because this helps them to keep warm.


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 6, 2019)

Travelisinvigorating said:


> Can you at least ban him or something?



Um, no. That's not how we operate here. Please review the website rules.


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## Coywolf (Nov 6, 2019)

Dameon said:


> If you or your dog get bitten by a snake, you need antivenom. There's no substitute treatment, you cannot cut, bleed, or suck out the venom. If you have a dog, and you're in the desert, I highly recommend you get a bottle of rattlesnake vaccine. It's cheap ($10-$20), and you give it to the dog before they get bit, so you don't need to rush off to the vet. I personally generally keep my dog on the leash in the desert; there's too much trouble they can get into out there.



Call me HIGHLY suspicious. But I am very, very skeptical of something called a 'rattlesnake toxin vaccine"

Venom from rattlesnakes is a poison, not bacteria or a virus. I do not see the medical science behind giving this medication to develop a "tolerance" to venom.

This may do more harm than good. Yes there are cases of humans that handle snakes developing a sort of tolerance after getting bit multiple times, but an animal the size of a dog VS. Diamondback or Green Mohave venom is always a losing battle.

I doubt this would help much, if it even works. Antivenom is the only thing I would reccommend. That and keeping to animal calm to reduce the spread through the bloodstream.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Coywolf said:


> Call me HIGHLY suspicious. But I am very, very skeptical of something called a 'rattlesnake toxin vaccine"
> 
> Venom from rattlesnakes is a poison, not bacteria or a virus. I do not see the medical science behind giving this medication to develop a "tolerance" to venom.
> 
> ...


Sounds like snake oil (big pun intended), but it probably works.


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## Lost in transit (Nov 6, 2019)

Wahhhh you dog abuser


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 6, 2019)

Lost in transit said:


> Wahhhh you dog abuser



okay, first and last verbal warning. don't escalate this.


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## Lost in transit (Nov 6, 2019)

You said I was being flamed haha


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 6, 2019)

Lost in transit said:


> You said I was being flamed haha



okay, haha i know. maybe i misinterpreted your post as being directed at someone else.


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## mylon (Nov 6, 2019)

Not sure where else this is available but in AZ it's common for people to take their dogs to rattlesnake avoidance training. It's supposed to be very effective.


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## Dameon (Nov 6, 2019)

Coywolf said:


> Call me HIGHLY suspicious. But I am very, very skeptical of something called a 'rattlesnake toxin vaccine"
> 
> Venom from rattlesnakes is a poison, not bacteria or a virus. I do not see the medical science behind giving this medication to develop a "tolerance" to venom.
> 
> ...


Exactly how much it helps is debatable, that much is true. It's difficult to find support for injecting a bunch of dogs with rattlesnake venom to objectively determine its effectiveness. It's even possible it doesn't actually help at all. There's no evidence I'm aware of that it hurts.

To clarify, even if your dog has vaccine, you should 100% get your dog to a vet as quickly as humanly possible (I'm aware I fucked up by saying you don't need to rush off to the vet earlier, do rush off to the vet). The vaccine is to buy time, not to replace antivenom. Considering how cheap it is, I think it's worth it if you're going to spend time in the south, and I have relatives in Arizona that swear by it.


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## Deleted member 26656 (Nov 6, 2019)

Dameon said:


> Exactly how much it helps is debatable, that much is true. It's difficult to find support for injecting a bunch of dogs with rattlesnake venom to objectively determine its effectiveness. It's even possible it doesn't actually help at all. There's no evidence I'm aware of that it hurts.
> 
> To clarify, even if your dog has vaccine, you should 100% get your dog to a vet as quickly as humanly possible (I'm aware I fucked up by saying you don't need to rush off to the vet earlier, do rush off to the vet). The vaccine is to buy time, not to replace antivenom. Considering how cheap it is, I think it's worth it if you're going to spend time in the south, and I have relatives in Arizona that swear by it.


isn't it simply possible to carry the antivenom in like a match case or something?


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## Dameon (Nov 6, 2019)

Travelisinvigorating said:


> isn't it simply possible to carry the antivenom in like a match case or something?


https://animalmedcenter.com/treatment-rattlesnake-bite/Apparently not, it has to be administered through an IV over 30 minutes or so, and at $600-800, not something most people can afford to carry preventatively. Plus, there's a lot more to treatment than a single injection.


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## texastraveler (Dec 5, 2019)

Travelisinvigorating said:


> Wait, you give it to the dog before they get bit? Is that a typo?


yeah it's a vaccine, it sorta immunizes them against it


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