Rattlesnakes

BritChaser

BritChaser

Well-known member
Anyone else encounter rattlesnakes while hunting? I've been rattled at three times while hunting, two of whom I sent on to their spirit world. The third was down in broken rock atop a small mesa in northern Nevada where I let him be. The other two were in Nebraska and Kansas respectively. Two encounters were in October and one in November.
 
I never have, but I'm always concerned about it when running my dogs in the summer and while hunting early in the season.
 
Hope I never run into one. Never have in all the years I spent out in the country. Just luck I guess.

I worry about my dog running into one, even hunting back in SD in the early fall.
 
Get the rattlesnake "shot" from your vet before heading out. They only cost around $25 around here. When my 2 1/2 year old black lab was a 6 month old pup, she got bit on the mouth from a small buzzworm while on a walk with me. She was put on IV fluids right away and for three days looks really rough, but survived in good shape. My vet said the antivenon not only doesn't work most of the time it is VERY expensive!
 
CRP said:
Get the rattlesnake "shot" from your vet before heading out. They only cost around $25 around here. When my 2 1/2 year old black lab was a 6 month old pup, she got bit on the mouth from a small buzzworm while on a walk with me. She was put on IV fluids right away and for three days looks really rough, but survived in good shape. My vet said the antivenon not only doesn't work most of the time it is VERY expensive!
Click to expand...

My vet told me the "anit-venom" was primarily penicillin. I'm suprised that would be expensive these days....certainly not calling you or your vet liars, but penicillin is just so common. I've never heard of the rattlesnake shot that can be administered in advance, but I'll be asking about it.
 
I have heard of dogs getting shots just in case they get bit by a rattlesnake. I believe when my cousin moved out into the Black Hills area, he got his Black Lab shots in case it got bit by a rattlesnake.
 
kansasbrittany the penicillin your vet referred to is for combatting the bacteria on the snakes fangs to keep from getting an infection. The anti-venin is what snakebite victims get in the hospital to keep the most serious effects of the neurotoxins from killing you.

Either your vet does not communicate well or really doesn't know much about snakebites. In this area, most every vet is well aquainted with rattler bites and treatment. If you are hunting many miles from a vet, on a weekend (Sunday), the $25 snake shot now is cheap insurance in case your dog gets bit. The animal will still need treatment but the chances for complete recovery are much better.
 
Good Dog Health Info

Seems there is a preventative med for dogs in case of snake bite, but that if bitten they still need to see a vet for additional treatment which may be more successful if they got the preventative beforehand.
 
I walked up on one this year turkey hunting. That was the second one I have ever seen. They are not that plentiful in Indiana.
 
I've come across a quit a few. Sept upland hunting in Montana on a warm and sunny day they will be out. I don't like the dang things. I stepped on a huge rattler once. I was walking a path in tallish grass, felt something roll under my foot, like a piece of round wood. Except no wood in that area. My momentum got me about 6 ft, then I looked back to see "what the heck" This BIG Rattler coiled up and mouth wide and ready.:eek:
Temps need to be up+75 and sunshine even then they are quite sluggish. Not a good thing to step on them however.:(
 
My dog was bit last March. Its something you don't want to go through.

I spoke with 3 emergency room vets and they all said dogs who have had the vaccine do better than dogs who don't. Anti-venin is not penicilin.

If you think you even have a remote possibility of rattlesnake encounter you need to do 3 things:

1. Vaccinate
2. Snake avoidance training
3. Know where the nearest emergency vet is that stocks the anti-venin.

Some people hospitals don't carry it and some won't sell it to you to take to your vet. Plan ahead. Time is critical.
 
snake vaccination

I found some vaccine from Red Rock Biologics, looked it up online, they use western prairie rattlesnake venom as a base, and claim that in most cases it will minimze the effect, but depends upon location of bite, amount of venom, size of dog, etc. Also not as effective on other sub-species of rattlesnakes, sidewinders, eastern timber, etc. You know I have hunted for 35 + years in rattlesnake country, and seen my share for sure, yet to have a dog bit by one. But now I'm paranoid. Reminds me of hunting in the 70's in Florida, ask my friend why he never registered his dogs, said, snakes! Everybody in Florida used what they refered to as "100.00" dogs, about that time one of the skinny pointers went on point in a palmetto clump, no birds, but a rattler the size of my leg. Never could concentrate on birds again that day, to busy hunting snakes! Haven't been back either. Anyway these young knucklehead pups I'm running this year, I would bet on snakebite, so I'm going to vaccinate. Now if I could get porcupine vaccine, I might have relaxing season!
 
I know penicillin isn't anit-venom, but he did tell me that's about all they normally do for a bit from a prairie rattler. He spoke about it fighting the infection and that the infection is the most serious problem associated with a rattler bite. Another thing to consider is that he's expecting the bite to have occurred up to an hour before arrival at his office.....I don't know if that means anything or not. No doubt there's a chance he doesn't know what he's talking about, but he's certainly not the kind of vet that's going to encourage me to spend extra money on something I don't need. I appreciate your input CRP, but he's done an excellent job with my animials thusfar, and he's shown some respect for my finances at the same time. If one of my dogs gets bit by a rattler, I guess I'll find out if he knows what he's talking about and report back to the group. With any luck, you'll never get that report!

I will have to research this preemptive shot...thanks for letting us know about it!
 
rattlesnake treatment

In the old days, thirty years ago, my wily old horse doctor vet, always sent me afield with a vial of something called Hydra-delta-corteff (sic)? For use in case of snake bite for man, dog, or horse. I have no idea what it is or does exactly, but he seemed to think rapid injection post bite would help mitigate the damage. In any case lugged it around for years, and never had to use it.
 
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