The American Beagler Forum

When I caught up this morning all the hounds where fine, but when I got to the house and was unloading Boogie Man's face was swollen pretty bad. Looks like a snake bite. No Vet anywhere near here open on Sunday so I gave him 5 mL of Childrens Benadryl. He's a large beagle as he weighs around 35-40 lbs. That was 3 1/2 hours ago. The swelling has not gone down any. When can I give another dose and should I give him a couple of cc's of Penicilion.

just follow the directions on the benadryl you can safely give a dog 2mg per lb every 8 hours. As far as the Penicillin I would hold off on it as it can cause anaphylactic shock if not administered properly and in the wrong dose espesially with all thats goin on with the dog i would wait for a bit. About all you can do is keep the area Clean and the dog quite as possible and wait it out..
Do you have any Idea WHAT kind of snake?

It could have been anything from a copperhead to a rattler to a water moccasin. My guess would be a copperhead though. But there are many canal ditches and a few ponds in the pen we were running so it could have also been a water moccasin.

Even with the Benadryl, the swelling will be around for atleast two days. Be sure to take off his collar so the swelling can move down the neck and disperse into the body (where you will not even notice it). I agree with TC's advice for the first day. If he seems okay (other than a little sleepy from the benadryl) tomorrow, I would give him 3 cc of penicilllin IM tomorrow and repeat in 24 hours. Best wishes to both of you.

ALSO THE VET TOLD ME TO KEEP THEM AS COOL AS POSSIBLE. THAT KEEPS THE VENIM FROM REACTING AS BAD IN THERE SYSTEM.

I HAVE SORT OF GOTTEN USED TO IT, MY RADAR DOG HAS BEEN BIT 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YRS. I TOOK HIM TO THE VET THE FIRST TIME AND ALL THEY DID WAS GIVE HIM BYNADRYL AND THE NEXT MORNING PENICILLIN.

please guys don't laugh at me to much for makin this comment but my granpa used to say if you ever catch a dog withen a little bit of it beeing bit break open about 2 eggs and pour it down its throat. i don't know if theres any benifit to this but he said it would help fight the poison. ive done it once and crazy as it may sound it seemed to help.

We had a dog bit, copperhead i think, and we gave him benydryl and a large spoon full of lard...not sure why on the lard...but he's still runnin hard today...so it worked...best of luck..hope it turns out good for you.

I had one bit by a copperhead and didn't do anything for a few days. I knew his head was swollen but I couldn't find any marks. Thinking maybe he was stung by a wasp or something I waited. A couple days later I noticed the fang marks were noticable. I started washing the wound with peroxide water and applying an antibiotic to the wound. In about a week he healed and the hair grew back.

Has anyone ever heard of using a shock collar on a snake bite?I have heard it from quite a few people.Crazy as it may sound ,they swear by it.It was told to me like this.Try to get the dog as soon as possible,after the bite occured,locate the fang marks,turn the collar on the highest setting,have someone hold the dog so it can't move,you put the collar on the dog [fang marks in between contact points],then shock for as long as you & the dog can stand it.It is supposed to turn the poision into a solid.Kind of like putting an egg into a frying pan.

I read an article years ago about DC electricity being used to treat hemotoxin snake bites. I think it wasin Outdoor life. It said it was a treatment used in South America when victims were far away from doctors. I don't know if it works and hope I don't have to find out. I think they would use car batteries.

I'VE HAD THREE DOGS BIT IN THE LAST 3-WEEKS. TWO OF THEM WERE BITTEN 2-TIMES EACH. AND ALL 3- WERE BITTEN IN THE PLACES I RUN TO ADVOID SNAKES!!!
I CARRY BENADRYL, AMOXICILLIN, AND A JAR OF BACON GREASE. AT ALL TIMES, JUST FOR THIS REASON.
I FIRST GIVE 3-5 CC'S OF BEN., AND FOLLOW THAT WITH A 500MG AMOX. CAPLET--(caplet because if they can't swollow, or have trouble swollowing you can twist open the cap. and dump it on the tongue and it will be swollowed), AND THEN THEY GET 3-5 CC'S OF BACON GREASE.
AND IF NEEDED AFTER I GET THEM HOME, OR THE NEXT DAY THE GET 2-3 CC'S OF PENICILLIN.

JAMES DAVIS
YELLOW MT. KENNELS

i have heard of holding a rag with deisle or kerosen on the snake bite,,,,,,

We always give our dogs benadryl, bacon grease, and keep plenty of cool water close to them after being bit.

you can get dexamethazone in tablets also. it is one of the most effective cortical steriods available. the others work well also depamedrol, medrol and the predisones