snake bites!!!!

I have had quite a bit of experience with snakes and dogs. When I was running bird dogs I de-snaked bunches of dogs every year. Personally I have had 5 of my dogs bit over the years--4 bird dogs and 1 hog dog.

Down south on the King Ranch the rattlers were the problem. Snakebites are funny in that it might be a dry bite and not even affect the dog. If the dog is real hot it is much worse and alot depends on exactly where the dog is hit.

They bought a bunch of stun guns and kept 1 in every guide truck because they heard that direct current would neutralize the poison. They do not work and may kill your dog. A real good young field trial dog got bit and the guide hit him with the stun gun and he went down for the count. When they got him to the vet he was dead and the vet said it appeared to be electrical shock. We had poor luck taking snake bit dogs to the vet in south Texas. It seemed to me that they all wound up dead.

Here is what has worked for me and you can do what you want. I give 2 cc of cortisone in the muscle of the back leg. I also give 2 cc of antihistimine in the other leg if I have it. Cortisone does not have to be refrigerated and antihistimine does. If I do not have antihistimine I will give the dog a couple of benedryl along with the cortisone. So far it has worked for me and all the dogs lived.

I had one cur dog bit by a cotton mouth and he swelled up pretty bad. I always have the cortisone with me so I hit him up immediately and he never even got sick. Another friend of mine had a dog bit by a cotton mouth and he did not get him to the vet in time and the died. I have had them bit by copper heads on the head and I can give them the cortisone and you can hardly tell they have been bit the next day.

Here is the bottom line. If you give him the cortisone he will probably make it unless it is a bad hit. If it is a bad hit he is going to die no matter what you do.

I have heard they now have some sort of antivenom but I have never used it. Maybe it works but I would sure check it out. The deal about the cortisone is that it is not going to hurt them reguardless.