[hiker chick]

A member of our Samoyed club, who lives in rural West Virginia, is dealing with the aftermath of a presumed snake bite that her Samoyed suffered recently. Here's her very informative message:


[FONT=&quot]I’m writing to you because I know that many of you live in wooded or agricultural areas, or like to walk or hike on nature paths and in parks. Please take note that there is a great possibility that snakes may already be out and about, and that special care should be taken for you, your family, and your family pets.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]First, our pup is going to be fine. Our beautiful Samoyed girl, had an awful experience on her 8th birthday, Jan 19th after she was bitten by a snake in our yard.
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[FONT=&quot]We didn’t see it. I had let her out in the fenced in front yard for a few minutes in the morning to do her business. I usually stay outside w/our dogs, but had to go inside for something. Matt said when he called her, she came running inside and her snout was slightly bloody. She had been bitten by something. There were actually three fang marks (two on one side, and a smaller one on the other side of her snout) and what appeared to be scratch marks on the top of her nose. It only swelled up a little bit.
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[FONT=&quot]We immediately thoroughly cleaned her wounds and treated them. We called the Vet to talk about it and made an appt. We thought maybe she had been bitten by a cat or a squirrel.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Out Vet has lived in the area all of her life and has been a Vet for about 25 years. She is very experienced with our wildlife and all types of bites. As soon as she saw the marks and the quick and vast deterioration of Jackie’s skin, she said it appeared to be a snake bite. Though it is very early for snakes, we have had unusually warm weather these past couple of weeks. Apparently, some snakes have come out of hibernation. It’s still hard for us to believe. It seems to be much too early. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Jackie will be OK, but this was a very serious bite w/awful consequences. As a result, she has a very bad infection. The infection happened so quickly.
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[FONT=&quot]I am a Medical Technologist, have taken extensive medical emergency courses, and have a lot of experience performing proper medical care of wounds, etc. to human and animal patients, big and small. It’s not a flesh-eating bacteria, or Proteus vulgaris, but it is virulent and putrid-smelling. With proper cleaning and antibiotics, in time, she should be OK. I hope she recovers quickly and completely. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I don’t know if this was a snake, but please take precautions…it may have been, and I don’t want you, or any member of your family (human and pets) to get hurt.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]P.S., In addition to what the vet prescribed for Jackie, we are administering Tea Tree full strength 3x/day and Emu Oil for tissue repair. [/FONT]

 

[Jojo]

Watch your surroundings while hiking.
Carry a phone, whistle, and a snake bite kit.

Me and this angry little guy had a small territory spat last year.

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[Jojo]

Dogs naturally like to harass snakes, my Allie-Gator will kill them given 1/2 a chance.

I managed to call my local snake guy and this one was saved. Most yard snakes are not poisonous but the bite can cause an infection.

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[boley]

That is weird for sure that a snake was out in this weather. Until a few days ago WV had been experiencing one of the coldest winters I can remember. Through most of December and January it has barely gotten above freezing. Certainly not the type of temperature I would expect to run into a snake.

Glad the hound was OK.

 

[kung]

I had a cat killed by a copperhead about five or six years ago. I found them side by side, as they had taken each other out. He had a pair of bite marks by his tail that he had licked until it was foaming, and the snake was all ripped up. He liked to kill snakes, but had never tangled with copperheads before. Now, I watch my dogs and my daughter in the yard.

Scary.

 

[hiker chick]

Update on the snakebite:


[FONT=&quot]The doctor said based on the amount and extent of necrotic tissue, it was definitely a venomous snake, most likely, a copperhead. Evidently, dogs can take the venom better than humans. He said even though it looks awful, we are doing a great job gently cleaning the wound...and that it had to run its course. He said that he could already see some of the tissue healing. It would take at least another 4-5 days for the rest of the necrotic tissue to slough off before it could begin to heal. He gave us some pain meds to take the edge off while we clean her wound. It is deep and very raw. No, I haven’t taken pictures. Right now, some areas are bloody and bumpy, others are black (dying tissue), other areas have pus. Necrosis begins just above her nose on her muzzle, and extends on both sides, half way up her muzzle. The doctor said that she should heal well, her fur will grow back except one small area in the middle.[/FONT]