RRC Archives

According to many sites like this, an epipen can be useful to both you and a dog: http://www.wildlife-education.com/blog/ ... -your-pet/

I also know that [for dogs] there is a rattler vaccine, which is useful especially out west. It doesn't stop the toxin, but it does buy time to treatment by slowing it. I don't think one is available for copperheads.

Meadows wrote:According to many sites like this, an epipen can be useful to both you and a dog: http://www.wildlife-education.com/blog/ ... -your-pet/.

I have read the opposite and that epinephrine (adrenaline) could actually make matters worse by increasing your heart rate and spreading the venom more quickly. The body's reaction to a venomous snake bite is not an allergic reaction, although I guess one could also be allergic to the venom.

https://www.healthtap.com/#user_questio ... mous-snake

That makes sense.

only one way to find out

Would a vet give you a prescription for the pegnazone, antibiotic, and benedryl so we could carry them in our first aid kits?

A trustworthy vet isnt gonna have a problem giving you the meds to take home, the trouble would be storage. Most of these meds need to be kept in the fridge, which makes it tough to keep stored in a pack

Thinking in my cooler in a car would be good

Our GusGus was bit by one once in the New and when we talked to the Vet before we took him in he said to stop and by some Benedryl. We did so and within an hour he was completely fine wanting to play with other dogs in the vets office. Most dog owners in the RRG should keep Benedryl in their packs for such things

Would not recommend epinephrine unless the reaction is anaphylactic. Copperhead bites are almost never fatal in humans and larger dogs. Rattlesnake bites, on the other hand...
http://www.rattlesnakebite.org/rattlesnakepics.htm

whoa, that is some good documentation on that rattlesnake bite. i have to admit i'm a little more nervous to go tromping about in the woods after seeing those pics.