When a snake bites your dog
We found some of the best pet experts in metro Atlanta. Look for your answers every Monday. Today’s advice comes from Will Draper of the Village Veterinary Centers. Check out the AJCPets experts. And feel free to submit questions in the form of a comment today.
Q: Other than identifying what type of snake, what should a I do if my lab is ever bitten by a poisonous snake?
A: The best thing to do is to immobilize your pet and seek veterinary attention immediately. Antihistamines can help to minimize the effect, but should be given by a professional who can determine proper dosage and route. Venomous snakes can cause serious cardiovascular, neurological and dermatological issues, so time is of the essence in initiating treatment.
Q: What causes flies to attack my dogs ears and what can I do for it?
A: Biting flies will attack dog ears to collect a blood meal. There is less hair on ears, and the thin skin — as well as the dogs inability to protect that part of the body — make the ears a prime target. There are ointments that can be purchased that contain citronella, a fly repellent. Putting this product on the tip of dogs’ ears can be a great help.
Q: My 10-year-old dachshund went through allergy testing at the vets. Basically she is allergic to everything that blooms in the spring. Is there an allergy pill available for dogs? I was told that the only thing that she could be given were allergy shots. Thanks.
A: There is currently no allergy pill to desensitize your dog to her allergens. There are medications (antihistamines, cortisones) that will help with the itching, but they do not take away the underlying cause. Allergy shots can help many patients; once the allergens are determined, a vaccine is produced, and then small amounts of the allergens are introduced into the body subcutaneously — thereby helping the pet build up an immunity to them. If you have not done so already, a referral to a veterinary dermatologist would be a great next step.
Can you tell me if there are any veterinarians in DeKalb or Gwinnette counties that support Raw feeding?
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Our 13 year old beagle was bitten by a copperhead while we were on vacation on Hilton Head Island. My husband saw the snake but we weren’t sure it bit her until several minutes later when she started to act lethargic and was painful around the bite area. It was a Sunday night and I was lucky to find a great vet who met me within 10 minutes. He administered benadryl, steroids and antibiotics through injections and gave her a iv of fluids. While she was feeling much better within a day it took her a full two weeks to get completely better since she had issues with her liver and pancreas that began within days of the bite.
The need to get the dog to the vet quickly cannot be overstated. Since she’s small (25 lbs) and old, I’m sure she would have died if we hadn’t gotten her treated so quickly.
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My then 1 or 2-year old Golden mix, Whiskey, was bitten by a cottonmouth around 1995 or 1996. We got her to her vet’s office within about 3 hours of the bite. She spent two nights with the vets getting anti-venom treatments and had a cross-shaped scar on her paw for the rest of her life. The vet said we had gotten her treated in time to avoid any long-term problems, and that had we been much later getting her there, she would have recommended putting her down due to the neurological issues a snakebite can create in a dog. There was a shepherd brought in that day that had suffered a rattlesnake bite the day before - the vet was recommending that it be put to sleep. Very sad. If your dog is bitten, get it to the vet ASAP. It will likely save the dog’s life and prevent long-term complications.
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