Snake antivenom, dog bitten by snake, what can the vet do if we do not know which snake ?

[thailandusauk]

Hi,

Dog is now at the vet and we think he has been bitten, but we do not know by what ?

I have the idea to buy from Red cross all the antivenom available in Thailand and try to inject all to my dog, do you think it is a stupid idea ?

As usual the vet said MAI DAI, but why ??? Anyway the dog is going to die, so why not trying anything possible ?

Do you know if more antivenom can be found in Thailand or could it be another snake specie ???

http://www.snake-antivenin.com

• Green Pit Viper
• Malayan Pit Viper
• Russell’s Viper
• Cobra
• King Cobra
• Malayan Krait
• Banded Krait
• Hemato Polyvalent
• Neuro Polyvalent

Thank you so much for him and us !!!

[Thongkorn]

Sorry to hear of your plite.

If you don't get the correct identification of the snake, the wrong antivenom may kill the dog or person come to that.Its important to get a good view of the snake if possible, so that you can identify the snake and get the correct anti venom. Most of the Kraits there is no antivenom , hope you dog recovers. i like you would try anything to save a friend.

[NeverSure]

Did you shave the area and look for a bite?

[thailandusauk]

Sorry to hear of your plite.

If you don't get the correct identification of the snake, the wrong antivenom may kill the dog or person come to that.Its important to get a good view of the snake if possible, so that you can identify the snake and get the correct anti venom. Most of the Kraits there is no antivenom , hope you dog recovers. i like you would try anything to save a friend.

No we haven;t found the snake, so you think its REALLY dangerous to use all antivenin available ?

Can you find online information ?

Thanks so much.

[thailandusauk]

Did you shave the area and look for a bite?

snake fangmark.jpg

I think the vet checked but he couldn't find what snake it is, why ?

[Rooo]

Moved to Vets section.

[NeverSure]

Did you shave the area and look for a bite?

snake fangmark.jpg

I think the vet checked but he couldn't find what snake it is, why ?

You think the vet checked and yet you seem really anxious. Please calm down, print that drawing pic, go shave the dog where the bite is and try to figure it out.

It isn't a trait of some people to dig down into things. You need to take charge of this.

There's an old saying among pilots" "He was so busy panicking he forgot to fly the plane." Calm down, and go step by step and just do it.

Good luck. I love my animals too.

Edited January 19, 2015 by NeverSure

[The Snark]

Antivenins trigger immune system responses. Gearing up the immune system for the wrong toxin is counter productive. Lacking ID and antivenin, make the animal warm and comfortable. Encourage it to drink lots of water or better, get it on an IV and run several liters per 24 hours. Add electrolytes to water or IV same as for human. If available, a vet with an ICU, warm with enriched oxygen level is recommended.

Keep it as still as possible, pamper and hope.

Edited January 19, 2015 by The Snark

[ATF]

It would most likely be a cobra because they are very common and spend a lot of time on the ground. Pit vipers spend most of their time in trees. If it was a krait the dog would be dead by now.

As said giving the wrong anti-venom is worse than giving no anti-venom at all. If the dog hasn't died yet there's a good chance of flushing it out of his system with a saline drip and meds. Good luck.

[sdanielmcev]

Not all snakes are poisonous. Not all, but you should see a reaction rather quickly.

[samuijimmy]

For snake bits, at least on Samui, only the Government hospital in Nathon, has antivenin.... Perhaps the same around the country, only Government hospitals ?

Something perhaps people should check, where it is available, not that snake bites are that common, but some times not enough time to run around looking if it does happen! ....

Hope the dog is still OK...

Edited January 20, 2015 by samuijimmy

[DLock]

I lost 2 dogs to cobras, and got one to hospital in time and received anti venom and he lived.

I say hospital, because I did not think I would make it to the vet or if he had anti venom. Hospital sold it to me and doctor even administered it outside the front doors.

If it were me and I did not see the snake, I would assume cobra as well. My experience is that they will stay and fight, other snakes tend to slither away quicker.

Update? Hope the little fella makes it. If he stay conscious, he has a good chance. If he goes under, chances are slim.

[The Snark]

Since we may be looking at vigilante snake extermination, I feel the need to point something out. Cobra's bluff. They don't lurk and attack passing animals. It is EXTREMELY rare for a cobra to strike from a prone position except going after identified food. To make a long story short, cobras, beneficial predators, only target dogs when the dogs harass the snake.

Unlike rattlers where they always have a strike zone ready and manned, cobras prefer to go on about their business. Their normal response to being disturbed by a larger animal is to flee.

While accidents are in3evitably going to happen, please try to keep in mind this is cobra country and they belong here, well established in a proper place in the ecosystem. On the other hand, domesticated dogs do not belong and need to be controlled.

We need to do our part in protecting animals and extending respect. Practicing stewardship on spaceship earth.

[steelepulse]

I lost one dog to a cobra bite and witnessed another dog get bit by a cobra right on the mouth. We took him to the vet and he got anti venom and survived. I too would agree with another poster that it was probably a cobra. I've since switched breeds to non hunting dogs so they will watch the snake slither off instead of attacking it.

[The Snark]

I lost one dog to a cobra bite and witnessed another dog get bit by a cobra right on the mouth. We took him to the vet and he got anti venom and survived. I too would agree with another poster that it was probably a cobra. I've since switched breeds to non hunting dogs so they will watch the snake slither off instead of attacking it.

Switching dogs. Very wise. Cobras just want to be left alone. If the animal persists in harassing it a tag is quite likely though. Cobras are the anathema of cats that cannot resist playing/bothering that animated garden hose. That's natural and normal. Way too many stray cats in the world and too few cobras,

The rules to avoid the vast majority of snake bites in Thailand is very simple. Only 4 deadly snakes on land. So, wear eye protection and keep mouth shut. (The venom of Siamensis, spitting cobra, has an affinity for mucus membranes).

Then, if it looks cobra like, assume it is. No hood = not aggressive and won't bang unless severely provoked as stepping on it. Just give it room. Cobras range from infants a few inches long to adult kings up to 18 feet. Spitters up to 4 feet, Monocled, kaouthai up to 6 or 7 feet. Color from dark black to very light golden bronze. O. Hannah, king cobra, changes color to reflect heat during summer.

Kraits. Triangular body and dorsal ridge scale. Up to 7 feet long and the body can be 2 1/2 inches thick. Black body with white or yellow bands circling the entire body and no other colorations or color connecting the bands. Except during the evening kraits are very slow and laconic. Doesn't mean they won't bite by they are s l o w. Just avoid like cobras. If you have a snake stick just get behind them and help them get off the roads as they are way too slow to avoid traffic. Both kraits and O. Hannah are ophiophagus; eating other snakes.

The most dangerous is the vipers, Russells or saw scaled. Think angry rattle snake,. Same same. Coils in corners and cosmopolitan. My wife took a nip on her pants leg in our carport. Snake coiled in front of door. Most active at night but dangerous and ready to bite at any time. Avoid and tease to get them to leave with long pole or garden hose.

The rest of the bangers are only mildly venomous and most of those are rear fanged. Pythons will also give a nip and their mouths are very dirty as a rule. If one bites you it might hang on like a bulldog. Just locate the end of the tail and give it a shake to get it to let go.

LOTS of the most venomous snakes in the water. I don't go there and know zip about them.

Edited February 11, 2015 by The Snark

[yankee99]

wow i though dogs were able to protect themselves from snakes.

[The Snark]

I should have mentioned we have a lot more dangerous snakes, most of which are near the southern border. Nearly all are pit vipers. My above posting was about the vast majority of the venomous snakes in Thailand.

I'd need more info than brown and in a tree. That rules out the vipers which are not arboreal but just about every other snake will climb trees. Even the very ground oriented Siamensis. I'll research what snakes have necrotizing devascularizing venom though and will post if I find a likely suspect.

[ExPratt]

Sorry to hear that mate , I hope your dog pulls through

We thought our dog was bitten by a snake a few weeks a go , he was poorly at night and had a couple of fang marks in his paw , next morning after me being up all night checking he was breathing , he was fine , didn't bat an eyelid, My missus recons it might have been one of those giant centipedes, his paw was really sore , he couldn't put it on the floor

Probably best to just let things take there course mate, not a lot else you can do

Good luck

Edited February 13, 2015 by ExPratt

[doggie1955]

First give your dog a vitamin C injection under the skin by the back of the neck, make sure vitamin C is warm before you give it to him. After the first hour and every hour after that for the next 3 to 6 hrs, give him vitamin C tablets by mouth...

[doggie1955]

First give your dog a vitamin C injection under the skin in the back of the neck, make sure the vitamin C in warm. One hour later you can give him vitamin C tablets for the next 3 to 6 hrs.

Google this online to get more info...snake bites using vitamin C injections.

[AjarnNorth]

Not available yet (see link) so not helpful in the immediate situation with your pup, but there is hope on the horizon for antivenoms that will cover a variety of possible species when an ID has not been made.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/05/160503-snake-bite-antivenom-asia-africa-animals/

[Mosha]

Adult cobras can and do dry bite. Ben take time and valuable resources to make. So why waste it on something they don't eat?

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[Mosha]

Ben should be venom. Dam_n phone

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[dick dasterdly]

Adult cobras can and do dry bite. Ben take time and valuable resources to make. So why waste it on something they don't eat?

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As this resurrected thread is v old, I assume it is OK to move slightly away from the OP's original post.

I'm sure we all live in fear of one of our pets being bitten by a venomous snake and I know that Mosha is right about adult Cobras often giving 'dry' bites - but if a running pet steps on a Cobra that is taken by suprise, they're likely to get a venomous bite?

Agree entirely though that the 'babies' are worse as they haven't leaned how to control their venom.

About 3 years ago I was alerted to a 'bad' snake (they kill Golden Tree snakes ) by the dogs' barking. It turned out to be a baby Cobra in the drainage channel from the house. The thing that took me by suprise was that the baby Cobra wasn't particularly bothered until it saw me - only then did it rear up!

[EcigAmateur]

Then what happened to the dog ?

 

 

[DLock]

Just because this thread was resurrected. My bull terrier got tagged by a big black scorpion a few weeks ago. Back leg swelled up and vet was worried it was going to split.

 

First lot of antibiotics and anti inflammatory meds helped for a few days, but the swelling came back. Next we tried wrapping the leg to reduce swelling, but the dog didn't keep the bandages on for more than 2 days. She did like to be touched on the leg at all.

 

The swelling lasted about 2 weeks. It did not seem to bother the dog too much when walking, except she seems to have a phobia of going on the grass.

 

Lots of critters to be wary off.

[cooked]

We lost a much beloved cat, brought here from back home, to a cobra. She had likely already been bitten when she proudly deposited it at my feet. 

I recently bought a rubbish 'grabber' -  Lazada - which enabled me to grab these beasties although even that isn't completely safe. They get deposited on the other side of our garden wall. 

I'm afraid scorpions and centipedes must die. 

[wildewillie89]

Does the human hair trick work or not? Anyone tried it? You supposedly spread human hair around the boundaries of your yard and the snakes will be deterred by it. 

 

Anyone have any methods to at least reduce the number of snakes? Other than snake proof fencing, cutting grass, keeping things tidy etc.

 

One of our dogs will kill one a month that I physically see (has since she was 6 months old), so probably more that I don't see. Would be good to lower the number of snakes to lessen the chances of her getting bitten. 

[DLock]

My research suggests that nothing works on all snakes - mothballs, sulphur, repellents and even electronic devices are all questionable...but I know people are going to tell me otherwise. 

 

Never heard the hair one...but highly doubt it.

 

Keeping yard tidy goes a long way, but snakes are everywhere and I've had so many different snakes on my property....the biggest was a 15 foot python that got one of my roosters and could not fit through the chain link fence...so we called the snake catchers who came and got it.

 

[wildewillie89]

Yeah, I heard all of them are relatively useless. 

Wonder if there are any smelly trees we could put around the perimeter that will keep away insects, which in turn will keep away frogs/toads (if that is how it works). Seems frogs are the main food source, where I am anyway.

 

We don't have chickens, but the neighbourhood obviously has them running around everywhere. Any that get in the dogs catch and kill/eat anyway so haven't had any massive snakes. 

Edited November 29, 2017 by wildewillie89