Last month, Shania was out in the backyard playing with Sephy. All of a sudden, there were piercing Shiba warning cries. When Sephy alerts in this fashion, something is usually up, so we quickly went to investigate.
We found a rattlesnake under one of the bushes!
I quickly got Shania inside, and Sephy distracted the snake with his Shiba war-cries while my partner killed the snake with a shovel.
It was too late though, because Shania had already gotten bitten by the snake.
Signs of a snake bite -
- She rubbed her muzzle in the grass a few times, which is usually an indication that there is discomfort on her face.
- She occasionally tried to paw at her face.
- She came inside, and went to hide in the corner. She does this when she is really not feeling well.
- There was some slight swelling on her face. At this point, the bite site was not visible.
We put the dead rattler in a bag and rushed Shania to the emergency room.
When our dog gets bitten by a rattlesnake -
- Do not panic. Stay calm and keep our dog calm. Stress and activity will cause the poison to move through her system more quickly.
- Even if we just suspect that it is a rattlesnake bite, take our dog to the vet or emergency room as soon as possible. I made the mistake of calling the emergency room first, and the silly receptionist said, “It can’t be a rattlesnake. Dogs that get bitten by a rattlesnake immediately keel over and die.” This was of course nonsense (more later on the different poisons and what can cause death). Only listen to the vet.
- If possible, it is a good idea to bring the snake to the vet because then, they will know exactly what type of bite they are dealing with. The vet tech at the reception desk refused to believe that Shania was bitten by a rattlesnake until she saw the snake in the bag. Then they admitted us in right away.
Dog Rattlesnake Bites
Some things I learned from the vet about rattlesnake bites-
- The severity of the bite depends on how much poison the snake released, and on the size of the dog. Smaller dogs are at greater risk.
- There are generally two types of rattlesnake venom. The vet said that the snakes in our area have the more wimpy venom. According to Wikipedia the wimpy poison is classified as Venom B, and the bad-ass poison is classified as Venom A.
- Mojave toxin is a powerful neurotoxin. As such, it can cause severe neurological degradation which can lead to …
“vision abnormalities and difficulty swallowing and speaking.”
~~[Wikipedia]“Death, when it does occur, is the result of respiratory failure. … the highly dangerous venom containing Mojave toxin is present in C.s. scutulatus populations inhabiting southern California, southwestern Utah, southeastern Nevada, parts of western and southern Arizona, and the Big Ben region of Texas.”
~~[Texas Snakes:Identification,Distribution,and Natural History]
Their potent venom is the result of a presynapticneurotoxin composed of two distinct peptide subunits. The basic subunit (a phospholipase A2) is mildly toxic and apparently rather common in North American rattlesnake venoms. The less common acidic subunit is not toxic by itself but, in combination with the basic subunit, produces the potent neurotoxin called “Mojave toxin.”. … Venom A bite from Mojave rattlesnakes is more than ten times as toxic as Venom B, which lacks Mojave toxin.[15]
~~[Wikipedia]
- Heavy concentration of Venom B (wimpy poison) may inhibit blood from coagulating, which can cause an animal to bleed to death. The vet measured the percentage of blood cells affected by the poison to make sure that this was not a danger for Shania. She did this several times throughout the progression of the poison.
Venom B causes pronounced proteolytic and hemorrhagic effects.
~~[Wikipedia]
Treatment and Recovery
The vet at the emergency hospital decided not to give Shania anti-venom because she said that the anti-venom can sometimes cause complications and Shania, luckily, did not receive a large dose of poison.
Initially, they tested Shania’s blood to make sure that it was not overly affected by the poison. They also gave Shania a shot to dull the pain and discomfort.
Then, we stayed on for a couple of hours because the vet wanted to see if the bite site would show. She wanted to clean it properly so that there was no risk of infection. However, after two hours we still could not see the bite site, so the vet sent us home with some pain tablets. Our hope was that Shania could rest more comfortably at home.
At this time it was already close to midnight, so I stayed up with Shania to make sure things did not get worse. Sadly, her face continued to swell during the night, she could not sleep because of the pain, and she would not eat or drink. I called the vet several times during the night to check if we should bring Shania in again.
At around 2 in the morning, we brought Shania back. At the hospital, they can continue to monitor her blood cells, give her an IV drip, as well as morphine for the pain. She stayed at the hospital for over 2 days.
After about 1 day the bite site finally showed up, so they were able to shave the area and properly clean it.
After about 2 days, the swelling on her face started to recede and Shania was more alert and interested in food. We were so happy to hear this, and even happier to hear that we could bring her home!
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Sorry, please skip reading the second entry below this one as I was just adding something, and now I have to add something else. We did take Max to a rattlesnake aversion training and it does work. A month after his training he came upon another rattler during the daytime in an open area under our back deck. I was sitting nearby with my back to this snake when Max barked and ran out of range of the snake. He saved himself and me. The aversion training really works. I’m not sure for how long but Max seems to remember other things quite well.
Yeah, I was also really surprised when the vet did not give Shania the anti-venom. I thought it had to be applied ASAP, which was why we rushed to the emergency room.
Thanks for telling us Max’s rattlesnake experience. If you have the time, I would really like to hear more about the setup of the snake aversion training -
1. Did they let you be in the training area with Max? Were the snakes far away in a cage? Did they apply the shock when the snaked rattled, when Max first saw the snake, or when Max approached the snakes?
2. How did Max respond?
3. Were there any other changes in behavior afterwards?
4. Does Max now stay away from all snakes or just rattlesnakes?
5. How many times did they have to apply the shock?
6. How long was the training session?
7. Did they train other dogs together with Max or is it one dog at a time?
We are planning to give Shania the rattlesnake vaccine on her next vet visit. The doctor at the emergency room said good things about it, and according to what I have read it will lessen the effect of the poison. However, I am considering all options, so I want to learn more about snake aversion training.
The first hot day of summer 2012, after ten years living here in Rescue never seeing any sign of rattlesnakes, Max, our JRTerrier (about 16 months old) was bitten on the snout by a rattlesnake. It was 9:30 at night. He nor Carole saw the snake, a baby snake, and when Max sniffed it, it bit him. It was only then that it rattled its warning sound but too late. Max jumped and Carole turned the light on him and the snake and ran in with him to alert me. I did the worst thing! I panicked! Fortunately Carole found an emergency clinic on Durock Road in Shingle Springs. They said, “Bring him in.” I didn’t know anything about rattlesnake bites. I’m glad they didn’t tell us what you were told by that incompetent vet assistant. The emergency people told us if his blood test was okay we could just leave him with them and they could give him a tranquilizer shot with some antibiotics and he should be okay in the morning. Max survived but he was swollen for 5 or 6 days. It was shocking and AWFUL but we learned, whenever you OR your pet is bitten by a rattlesnake stay calm. Get help as soon as possible but DO NOT PANIC ESPECIALLY THE BITTEN ONE. Google rattlesnake bites on line to learn more. I too thought a rattlesnake bite was soon fatal in not instantaneous, but you have hours to act not minutes.
how can the one with three lags walk
Yeah, Shania gets along pretty well. She hops when she walks, and when she is running, one hardly notices that she is missing a leg. Here is more on how dogs move.
Hi shibashake! I feel so bad your dog was bitten by a rattlesnake. I am only 9. Also I have a question: i’ve noticed that one of your beautiful dogs only has 3 legs. What happened to the 4th leg? I don’t mean to be rude. :3
Hello Anna,
That is a very good question and it is not rude at all. Shania (my 3 legged Siberian Husky) was born with a slightly bent leg. It turned out that the bones in one of her front legs was disconnected, so she could not use it properly. We tried to fix it with surgery, but unfortunately, the doctor was not able to straighten the leg. As a result, the doctor recommended amputation.
Today, Shania is a very happy and bouncy dog. She plays, digs, jumps, runs around, and we have a lot of fun together. I love her a lot!
I’ve read that there’s a method of snake-proofing dog used by ranchers with dogs whose curiosity or instincts override his training. The dog is allowed to investigate a snake that has had the venom sacs removed. Seems cruel (to both the snake and dog), but it supposedly works first time every time. The “up” side is that you still might need to see a vet, but it wouldn’t be a life-threatening surprise visit.
It does seem odd that the pre-strike behavior of a rattlesnake wouldn’t deter a pet dog as well as it does wolves. I’m wondering if the use of dog rope toys conditions dogs to regard snakes as harmless fun.
Yeah. I think that today, dogs are socialized and trained to meet new experiences with confidence and not fear. Most of the time, that is a very good thing. Unfortunately, meeting a rattlesnake is not one of those times.
Yikes! How scary! Im glad that she is feeling better…! We went to rattlesnake aversion training, but my biggest fear is that we will run into one and Winnie will get bit. Where we go hiking, it could be hours before I get her back to the car and to a vet, so you are lucky that it was at home and you can get to the vet right away!
I was also thinking of aversion training. How was your experience with it? Does it train the dog to avoid all snakes or just rattlesnakes? Did they have to apply many corrections before the behavior changed? Do you have to go back every year? Did Winnie act differently with lizards, mice, etc., after the aversion training? Did her behavior change in any other way?
The interesting thing is that Sephy was out there with Shania, but he did not get close to the snake. He stayed a safe distance away the whole time, and just alerted us to the danger. Sephy doesn’t get close to lizards or mice either. He chases after them to flush them out but he doesn’t go in for the kill.
Another thing to consider is that the snake does not want a confrontation either. In open space, the snake will likely be able to run away. In our backyard, the snake got cornered in a bush, so he struck when Shania went in too close.
That is so sad that she was bitten by a rattle snake. I am in love with shiba inus and know so much about them! But i am only 10-ten years old. witch is why alot of kids make fun of me and i have barely any friends.
Hello Alexandria,
It can be difficult to fit-in at school. I always wanted to go my own way, so the Queen Bees of my class would sometimes pick on me. The thing with Queen Bees and bullies is that they need everyone to conform under their power, not unlike online bullies.
After struggling for a few years, I learned that trying to fit-in with the bullies did not make me happy either. In fact, it made me even more unhappy. Also, they were not really my friends – they were just using me for their own selfish purposes.
I was more happy when I stayed true to myself, and stuck to my own principles. I made some good friends after that. I never had many friends and never truly fit-in with the popular group, but the friends I made are true friends.
Most of all though, I learned to think for myself, decide what was important for me, and work towards that – irrespective of what the popular kids said.
I just got a new puppy which is a lab, so I wandered on your website for puppy tips. So sad about your doggy! I’m glad the rattlesnake is dead! Wow, what an ordeal. Poor thing. Glad he has lots of love though! your dogs are so pretty
Thank you very much MB.
Congratulations on your new pup and big hugs to him! Labs are super awesome dogs. There is a lab (called Flower) who is a guide dog in my neighborhood, and she is extremely sweet and very focused on her person.
Share some puppy pictures with us when you get the time.
Hi..I’m am a k9 handler in search and rescue. I am putting together a slide presentation to show the hazards we and our dogs face in then field. I would like to feature an rattlesnake bite and I was wondering if I could use Shanias? Tku. Shelly Burton.
Hi Shelly,
Would love to hear more about your search and rescue organization. Such dogs are always amazing to watch, so please post us a link when you get the chance.
Feel free to use Shania’s picture in your slides.
I am so glad to hear that Shania is recovering quickly. One of my major concerns about owning a dog is the wildlife around me. I live in the South (Originally from Louisiana) and having pets encounter gators, copperheads, or water moccasins are real concerns. Back home you would hear about family pets being snagged by gators. It happens.
I had to laugh when you wrote about Sephy’s war-cries. The Shiba scream is not to be ignored! And it sounds like the whole pack came to the rescue after he sounded the alarm. Well done pack!
Thank you very much Tom.
Yeah, the thing that kills me is that we took many precautions -
1. We blocked up the bottom of our fence line with concrete blocks,
2. Kept the grass cut, bushes cut,
3. Kept the area free of sticks, etc.
We are considering giving both our Sibes the rattlesnake vaccine. The vet at the emergency room said good things about it, and that it would mute the effects of a bite.
LOL! Sephy has a lot of quirks but his guarding instincts and how he deals with snakes etc, are quite awesome. He has several different levels of alerts, and saves the loudest one for when he thinks the Sibes are in danger. It is very admirable to see how protective he is of Lara and especially Shania.
Oh man… my heart was pumping just reading this. Yay for wimpiness! And so glad that Shania is better. Glad that everyone lived to tell the tale, with some impressive pictures to boot…
Also, grr on the receptionist and vet tech. I hope their poor handling of the situation was addressed.
LOL! Yeah, I am so glad that I live in a wimpy snake area. I never knew there were differences in rattlesnake poison before this. It is actually quite interesting, now that the crisis is over.
As for the receptionist, it has been difficult to find a good emergency vet. There are not too many of them close-by, so the choices are very limited. Wish they had a better, less bureaucratic procedure for getting to the vet.
As it was, they wouldn’t let us carry Shania into the examination area where she could see the vet. We had to insist on it, and go through an unpleasant episode because of all the red tape. Still, the vet was very good and very efficient, and that is what matters most.
Big hugs to your pack! Love the Formosa-pa-looza pictures. Sounds like a really fun event!