SSSSSnakes!!

[coyotejoe]

  It's that time of year again when the creepy, crawly critters are out and about. I just got both dogs shots for rattlesnake venom. The shot is not a "cure" for snake bite but it really does lessen the effect. I've never seen a rattler around here but my Shorthair/Brittany mix found one last year. He was one very sick and sad puppy for about a week and it was at least a month before all the swelling receded but the shot saved his life. The photos show how he normally looks, with "tight skin", no floppy jowls or hanging folds, and how he looked the day after being bitten. Now he packs my .44 Bulldog with snakeshot loads.

[PA-Joe]

How much did the shots cost? First itme I have heard of using the shots before getting bitten.

[coyotejoe]

Offhand I'm thinking maybe 35 bucks. I'm really glad I spent that money and will continue to spend it every spring. The shot is not an anti-venom like given after a bite. I don't know how to better explain it but it just lessens the dog's most serious reactions to the bite. You still need to get the dog to a vet but it buys time to make that trip. Depending on the severity of the bite and the dogs reaction to the bite he may still want to administer anti-venom. In the case of my 45 pound mutt the vet felt he would pull through OK without further treatment, just gave him something to help reduce swelling. If that really did reduce swelling I'd hate to imagine what the poor dog would have looked like without it.