Snakes

[caryc]

A few years ago while hunting pheasants with a friend near Russell, Kansas, his pointing Lab was bitten in a front leg by a prairie rattler. The dog was treated with antibiotics for infection and after 2 weeks recuperating was back to hunting pheasants.

Something doesn't sound right here. I've never heard of snake bite venom causing an infection with no other symptoms.

Treating rattlesnake venom with an antibiotic doesn't make any sense. I can see how an infection could develop from the fangs penetrating the skin the same way a would can get infected if not cleaned and treated correctly.

But what about the affects of the snake venom? How did that not have any affect? How was the antibiotic given to the dog?

 

[WAYNO]

And my good Army training revealed, for multiple reasons, rattlesnake bites sometimes result in little or no venom being injected. But, the same bite can still cause cause a secondary infection. Remember what that snake ate last.

I used to train in the desert above Yakima. The place was infested with rattlesnakes. Our Supply Sergeant was bit by a rattlesnake, with no effects whatsoever, other than the cute little fang holes.




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[Mike J]

Yeah, how about the one that says, "if you cut off a snakes head, it won't die until sundown"? Always liked that one.

It is better to err on the side of caution with some things. My father would have just told me, "If you don't stay away from that I'll beat you bloody." I would have stayed away because I knew to believe him.

Edited to add: I remember one of my aunts telling me Grandaddy came in once with a big snapping turtle. It went in the pot but he buried the head to keep the dog from messing with it. Apparently he didn't bury it well enough as the dog dug it up. She said they like to never got that turtle head off that dog.

 

[caryc]

And my good Army training revealed, for multiple reasons, rattlesnake bites sometimes result in little or no venom being injected. But, the same bite can still cause cause a secondary infection. Remember what that snake ate last.

I used to train in the desert above Yakima. The place was infested with rattlesnakes. Our Supply Sergeant was bit by a rattlesnake, with no effects whatsoever, other than the cute little fang holes.

Yeah, I do believe that a snake can bite with injecting very little or no venom. But I'm wondering how the vet knew there was no venom injected into the dog.

My Mom had some kind of infection on her leg. I don't remember what caused it, but the Docs said that it was not responding to any treatment so they decided to let it go and let the body heal it by itself, which it did.

She was in a temporary medical home at the time where they could keep watch on her. I have no real education on snake bites but I'll buy that the dog had no venom in his blood stream and just developed an infection from the bite.

I just didn't want people here thinking that if you get snake bit, you should just take an antibiotic and you'll be all better.

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[JPGLSG1234]

Mike J
"Edited to add: I remember one of my aunts telling me Grandaddy came in once with a big snapping turtle. It went in the pot but he buried the head to keep the dog from messing with it. Apparently he didn't bury it well enough as the dog dug it up. She said they like to never got that turtle head off that dog."

Come on.....that's funny, sounds like something my GrandMom would say

 

[Large309]

It look like a Gopher snake or rat snake to me

 

[Jeepnik]

Something doesn't sound right here. I've never heard of snake bite venom causing an infection with no other symptoms.

Treating rattlesnake venom with an antibiotic doesn't make any sense. I can see how an infection could develop from the fangs penetrating the skin the same way a would can get infected if not cleaned and treated correctly.

But what about the affects of the snake venom? How did that not have any affect? How was the antibiotic given to the dog?

Could have been a “dry” bite. Not totally without venom just very little. But I sure wouldn’t want to count on that happening.

Ihave and continue to spend a lot of time in the desert. Actually not far from where I was stationed. Snakes are fairly plentiful but knowing how to make ve in snake country and paying attention have always prevented any snakes unplanned encounters.

About the only time I’ve come close to as when I wasn’t paying attention while composing a photo. Just about stepped on a rattlesnake. Entirely my fault but since I figured it or me the snake died. Now for all the time I spent in snake country this happened within ten feet of a busy canyon road.