Snakes are out and around!

[porsche tech]

Copperheads are the most common poisonous snakes around here and I’ve seen several. It’s important to be careful letting your dog sniff around in bushes! Several friend’s dogs have been bitten. Be careful!

[KFC911]

Copperheads are my only concern here now... rattlers and Water Mocs vacated this area in my youth.... a bit east now... good riddance! My dawgs have always been the reason... I will kill 'em if they are seen... before they disappear.

What do ya do if poochy gets bit? I figured I'd head to the closest vet, etc... it's a real risk with my Lab out in the woods... me too .

Me no like poisonous snakes....

[Jolly Amaranto]

While back packing in Idaho many years ago, some friends and I came upon a shepherd and a herd of sheep. He was a grizzled old Basque guy who emigrated as a young man. He claimed that when one of his dogs would get bit by a rattle snake, they would just lay down, go to sleep and be out for a few days and sleep it off. Most would recover but a few did not. Don't know if he was jerking us around but I guess it could work.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by KC911

Copperheads are my only concern here now... rattlers and Water Mocs vacated this area in my youth.... a bit east now... good riddance! My dawgs have always been the reason... I will kill 'em if they are seen... before they disappear.

What do ya do if poochy gets bit? I figured I'd head to the closest vet, etc... it's a real risk with my Lab out in the woods... me too .

Me no like poisonous snakes....

There is a Facebook group called "National Snakebite Support" which is a group monitored by experts (Drs and Vets that follow the latest, correct treatment of envenomations in people and pets). No one is allowed to comment on threads other than the Drs and Vets to eliminate misinformation.

I found this posted on the list.



Another tidbit that I just saw is this:

PSA: For any pet parents that are owners of brachycephalic (smushy-faces) breeds such as bulldogs, pugs, ****zus, boxers, mastiffs, etc.! If your pet is bitten by a venomous snake, ESPECIALLY to the face, it is extremely important to advocate for antivenom even with normal lab parameters. These breeds are already predisposed to respiratory disease, and are more likely to become compromised with any swelling associated with their face/neck due to their “special” anatomy. I would also argue that it is more important for these breeds to stay hospitalized for monitoring in case there is any sign of respiratory distress, as it is important to be able to intubate to secure an airway if the swelling gets to the point of causing an upper airway obstruction.

I joined the group and am still a member of the group, although I've stopped following the group, because after seeing basically the same responses over and over again, I downloaded the paper that advises what the correct treatment is for people.

And because you can never share this sort of info too much. This is the current recommendation for peeps:

https://www.med.unc.edu/emergmed/wp-content/uploads/sites/649/2018/04/Snakebite-Algorithm-2.pdf



While I was following the group, there were folks that would go to a Dr after being bitten by a snake and would get the wrong treatment. I guess lots of hospitals and Drs don't keep up on the current treatment.

Antivenom is expensive, and in most cases, at least with people, you often end up getting multiple vials.

[matthewb0051]

I worked with an Apache helicopter pilot in El Paso. Dude is a straight up war hero and one of the best people you will ever meet/want to know. He was out walking his dogs one morning and the dogs passed by a rattler. He was not so lucky and got bit around the ankle.

Me: "did it hurt"?

Him: "F##@$k Yeah it hurt, Sir"

That from a guy that was in a helicopter crash in A'Stan and lived to tell about it.

[Evans, Marv]

Well, I was just leaving to fill my gas can to start cutting the grasses for fire mitigation around here. When I went to close the back door of the garage, I found this little critter on the mat just inside the door, so I guess I should keep the garage closed up when I'm not in there for a while. It was only about a foot long and didn't protest when I put it in a platic bucket to be relocated on the slope outside.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

Well, I was just leaving to fill my gas can to start cutting the grasses for fire mitigation around here. When I went to close the back door of the garage, I found this little critter on the mat just inside the door, so I guess I should keep the garage closed up when I'm not in there for a while. It was only about a foot long and didn't protest when I put it in a platic bucket to be relocated on the slope outside.

I've found some shed skins in the garage at times when it was mostly being used to store the stuff from renovation demo. All of the ones that I found inside the garage were non-venomous. Still, when I open the door to the garage, I throw the door open, look, and stand there a second to ensure that there's nothing waiting on the other side of the door. I don't want either of us to be surprised.

[Jolly Amaranto]

One of my favorite snakes in these parts is the hog-nose, sometimes called a hog-nose puffer or puff adder. They are stout snake with an upturned nose. If disturbed they can rear up and flair their neck to look something like a cobra and hiss at you. If that fails to run you off they drop down, roll over on their back and play dead. If you roll them over right side up they roll back over. If you keep pestering them they are likely to present you with their last meal, usually a toad or something half digested.

[T77911S]

i have had a copperhead problem and a few cotton mouths.

cotton mouth bit my lab. almost killer her.
the other dog has a few snake "scares" on her face. we now have the medicine for them but the snake situation has been better.
the 9mm helped. not that i like killing them since i did have a pet python for awhile.

there is a large black snake that lives in the bushes but have not seen him in a while either.

[Hugh R]

[T77911S]

nice

[Jolly Amaranto]

Why did the snake cross the road? Well, it decided not to this time. I believe this was a black racer.

[GG Allin]

No snakes around here. I could use some, too many mice.

[creaturecat]

buddy got chomped on by a big gopher/bull snake. it had been residing under a tarp. beside the air compressor.
that made for a really ugly non-poisoned wound.

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

No snakes around here. I could use some, too many mice.

cats

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by T77911S

cats

I've got one, in door only. A couple snakes around the yard to keep the mice out of the garage would be nice. There are also a few alley cats in the neighborhood.

[Jim Bremner]

I wouldn't mind a King, Gopher or garden snake around. But Nope Ropes would not make it off of my property alive.

[fintstone]

Nonpoisonous snakes are welcome (and are great mousers), but poisonous snakes will be killed on sight on my property.

[sc_rufctr]

Just a general comment but you guys have some beautiful snakes!

I always give "ours" a wide pass.

[Roswell]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Just a general comment but you guys have some beautiful snakes!

I always give "ours" a wide pass.

Considering 'yours' I would be giving them a very wide path!