By the time we arrived at the vet's about 1 hour had passed.

Walker spent 24 hours at the vet's and then was released. His

right leg was twice the size of his left one when he got home, although the swelling has now decreased to almost normal.

He is recovering very well. I have written up my experiences and attached them, so that others will have a better idea of what to expect if they have this experience.

We visited our regular vet today for one last blood test. She told

me they were treating a dog (now on week 3 of hospitalization)

who had been bitten, but had not been vaccinated. She was very impressed with Walker's recovery, as she had just given him his booster on Thurs, a week ago.

Both vets stated that they had seen 5-7 snake bites THIS week

and that this year will be a good one for snakes."

What I learned about dogs and rattlesnakes...

 I am not a veterinarian, but this is what I gleaned from my experience and hope you will take to heart.

If you are reading this, you are sitting at a computer. Take 2 minutes right now and look up two emergency vets. One near your home and one near where you walk, ride, or vacation. Call them and see if they stock rattlesnake anti-venom. Write down their phone number and address. Print off at least two copies of this and put one in the glove compartment of your car and one in your dog bag, wallet, or purse.

HAVE YOUR DOG VACCINATED FOR RATTLESNAKES IMMEDIATELY.

The cost is about $40 for the two shot series the first year and about $30 a year for the booster. Have the booster in March/April, just prior to when rattlesnakes become active. The vaccine does a couple of things.

  1.      It gives you more time to get to the vet if your dog is bitten (up to 4 hours instead of 1hour).

  2.      Your dog makes antibodies on its own to protect itself from the venom. This will help the dog fight necrosis (death of the tissue) and promote a quicker recovery.

A SNAKE BITE IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY,

TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY

Rattlesnakes inject two types of venom. One predigests the tissue. One blocks the nervous system. These are signs to look for:

1.      Almost immediately your dog will loose some control over the bitten area.

a.       In the nose or mouth area you may see a drooping, open mouth or one side that looks lopsided.

b.      One eye may appear to be partially closed and one ear to droop abnormally. Usually on the same side of the head.

c.       If bitten in the leg, the toes will scrape the ground as the dog walks, usually there will be a pronounced limp.

2.      Within 15 minutes the bitten area will begin to swell dramatically. If you have a collar on the dog and it was bitten in the head, remove the collar. This is especially true if you have a choke chain on. If you need a collar, reverse your leash, run the loose end through the hand loop and place the newly created loop around the dog's neck.

3.      Puncture marks may or may not be visible.

4.      Your dog may have heavy bruising around the bite area.

5.      The gums and eyelids may become pale.

6.      Heart rate will first increase, then decrease. Temperature usually remains in the normal range, but may drop.

7.      After about 30 minutes your dog will become lethargic and will be unwilling to move.

DO NOT apply a tourniquet, cut an X in the wound or try to express the venom in any way. The bite area will be extremely painful and the dog may bite you because of the pain. DO NOT apply ice or heat. If you are hiking, walk your dog back to the car at a NORMAL walking pace.

Treatment expectations:

1.      Most vets will administer anti-venom. Expect to pay $850 for a 10cc vial of serum.

2.      Expect that your dog will be hospitalized for 1 to 3 days (if you have the vaccine) and much longer if you don't have the vaccine.

3.      Hospitalization costs will range from about $400-$800 dollars for the first 24 hours. After that it depends on the care level needed, as each dog will respond differently.

4.      This cost should include a blood panel, IV drip, a painkiller, and antibiotics.

The Rattlesnake vaccine is designed to protect dogs against the Western Diamondback. This is the most common rattlesnake in our area. It will also protect dogs against 6 of the other 7 rattlesnakes in the western US. The only one it doesn't work against is the Mojave Green Rattlesnake. This is because the Mojave inject a different type of venom. Rattlesnakes inject a varying amount of venom in their bites. It is possible that it is a dry bite (no venom), a small amount of venom if the snake has used venom in the last 24-48 hours, or the whole shebang. Baby rattlesnakes are notorious for injecting the whole thing, as they have not learned to control their bites.

Talk to your vet about their recommendations and protocols. Walker had his yearly booster 5 days prior to being bitten. I specifically asked the vet what needed to happen if one of the dogs was bitten. She explained about immediate care, but much of the rest of this I learned after the fact.

Again, I am not a vet, but do take an interest in the care of our animals. Make sure to talk to your vet and to get the vaccine.