re: Lab bit by snake.

Yep. It's very expensive to actually administer it which is why most vets don't do it unless they determine that it's a life or death situation.

I bought it for myself. I was told 8 would be the max needed for a human, normally. I have no idea about a dog.

I had a female GSP bitten by a cotton mouth on her rear foot, Jan 30th of this year. The bite caused a stroke and her white blood cells to attack her red blood cells. Vet that did the original treatment see lots of snake bites, never seen one this bad. She said normally the dog is dead and never makes it to her or the dag makes in to the office and is ok with minimal treatment. 24 hours at the initial vet, 2 weeks in ICU, 2 months at home slowly getting better and then crashed and died. We think she was affected by the venom so bad because the snake had probably been laid up hibernating for a long time and the snake hit an artery combined with her running while hunting.

Dang wick, think I remember hearing that, but it sucks.

Would like to get an update from the OP.

Its always obvious in these threads that people think very differently about dogs...and that's perfectly okay. I would guess that 90% of dogs bitten are fine without vet treatment. My dog is too awesome to risk being in that 10% without getting a professional opinion

My Boykin hunts snakes around the house. Been bitten 10+ times by cottonmouths, copperheads and rattlesnakes. I know because he always delivers the snake to the back door. Been to the vet on a few of those. Our vet says the biggest threat to a dog from a bite is an infection. Always administer antibiotics for a few days after the bite if you give a damn about your dog.

So from the vets, spouses of vets, people who have visited vets and people who had dogs actually bitten

we have 4-5 different recommendations. Anti venom, no anti-venom cause snake was identified. One vet admitted he doesn't treat it unless life threatening and then his patients still died. Another who had a dog that died after 2 months of treatment (sorry for the loss).

But based on all of this...calling people dumbasses when the results have been so mixed with majority who had dogs swell up and then be just fine is an obtuse statement with no data backing the statement.

I didn't call anyone a dumbass

Got a Jack Russell that has been bit about a dozen times. He swells up and lays around for a day then completely back to normal. She hates a snake with a passion, I can't pull her off of one.

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Lots of fricking dumbasses in this thread.

Like someone said. If nothing else, and you gave half a shite about your dog, you would at least want some pain relief for your dog.

Marrying a vet, and having a hunting dog, we've had the conversation about course of action for snake bites, and the biggest thing is managing the pain and keeping the airway clear in the short term, and preventing infection in the long term, but being with wick's dog when she crashed in the woods after a bite and spending hours with her trying to stabilize her. There's no chance I would be the irresponsible a-hole and just let the dog get better on it's own

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bird dawgs and bird hunting have been my passion since 1977. Over those years I have personally witnessed about a dozen dogs get bit by venomous snakes - only one of those dogs was fine with no treatment - if fact that one barely swole up and it was likely the proverbial reflex "dry bite".

Many times when people see a dog with swelling they assume snake bite and more likely than not swelling that goes away in a day is by and large NOT from a venomous snake bite - it is more likely from a bee, hornet or other powerful stinging insect not a venomous snake.

I have seen about a half a dozen non bird dogs whose owners thought they were stung by bees but later died - the more likely culprit there although not actually witnessed.

Of the dozen that I have witnessed - the 4 that got no treatment ALL DIED. 1 copperhead, 2 Mocs and 1 cane break - the cane break was the quickest. I have had one dog bitten twice both reactions and recoveries were pretty rough. The cane break bite dog was on the way to the vet when it died - about an hour ride. The only one that was ignoring treatment was the copperhead bite - the dogs owner was "hoping" it was a "dry bite".


if your dog gets bitten by a venomous snake and you do not go to the vet - you are taking a very bad gamble.


If you think all these dogs are bitten by venomous snakes and have venom injected and magically recover in a couple of days... I sure wish you naive folks would have been hot cheerleaders when i was 16.


I am real good friends with a vet that also runs a ranch in texas where they have a lot quail dogs bitten by snakes - for he and his wife much of what is posted on this thread is laughable.

if any of you think your dog is venom proof - I have $100 bucks that says it is not and can get a canebreak or cotton mouth on short notice to prove you wrong if you care to take that wager.