is a water moccasin bite fatal to dogs?
we live in a relatively small town with a nice sized yard, we do have woods around, and ditches it seems, everywhere. we keep our dogs outside during the day, and i was wondering about snakes, particularly water moccasins. is this snake’s bite fatal to dogs? what is the correct treatment prior to rushing to the vet?
Water Moccasins are very poisonous and very aggressive.
A bite to the neck or face are could cause the throat to swell, and yes, kill a dog if not noticed right away. A bite to a leg could also be fatal, but not as likely. Vet treatment is needed IMMEDIATELY. I do not know of any treatment you could provide prior to rushing to the vet. If you know they are in your area, make sure you know where the Emergency Vet (after Hrs & weekends) is located.
It will be fatal if you don’t get medical treatment for the dog.
Just take the dog to the vet if he ever gets bit IMMEDIATELY; besides that there is nothing you can really do.
Snake Bite Facts
Only 25% of snake bites actually inject venom on the first strike.
Out of the remaining percentage only 15-20% of the venom is actually injected.
Out of the 15,000 bites annually that occur only 3% are actually fatal.
When treated,only 1% of cases are fatal.
Snake bites are painful, and you should try and keep your pet calm.
The severity of the bite depends on many factors:
How agitated the snake was, climate/weather, temperature, age and size of the snake,
weight of the snake, whether of not the snake was in defensive posture, the venom capacity of the snake and of course the type of snake.
Water moccasins/Copperheads are the least potent venom of the venomous snakes of USA, and generally require time for skin wound healing but are not fatal.
The prognosis in a pet with a pit viper bite is generally good with prompt treatment.
Here are videos of what to do if bitten..They include for pets , adults, and for children
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/how-to-survive-a-venomous-snake-bite–what-to-do-if-pet-bitten-by-a-snake/1577922307
If you would rather read the first aid, it is here, on the PetPlace:
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/snakebites-from-a-copperhead-pit-viper-snake-venom-rattlesnake-crotalidae/page1.aspx
Probably fatal. Water Moccasins are rather aggressive.
Ask your vet about treatments & search on-line.
Good to ask now….rather than later….
yes, it can be fatal. as with any snake bite, try to keep the dog very still to prevent rapid heartbeat. rapid heart beat= rapid blood flow. tie it off, right above the bite to help even more, to prevent the venom from reaching any major organ. and get to the vet asap.
yes, fatal if anti-venom isn’t received. No treatment except get them to the vet asap. One reason I don’t leave my dogs outside while I am gone is that people can poison them, they can get let loose or they can have snakes or other critters bite and kill them. Just not worth the chance and for no real reason.
Yes but depending on the size dog and the size snake
It can be. There really is nothing you can do prior to rushing the dog to the vet other than maybe shock precautions. We had a shep mix that was bitten on the face by a rattle snake and was given immediate vet care, and survived.