What to Do If Your Dog Has Been Bitten by a Rattlesnake

Living in an area where rattlesnakes are present can be dangerous for your dog (and cat). Rattlesnakes are snakes that inject toxins (either hemotoxins or neurotoxins) along with their bite. Snakes will bite if they feel threatened, especially if a dog is sniffing close by. The most common rattlesnake bites occur on the dogs muzzle. Usually within 24 hours, the face will begin to swell where the bite was and severe salivation occurs. Contusions will appear on the inside of the mouth from the hemotoxic venom. Hemotoxic venom affects blood coagulation and can cause severe bleeding and even organ degeneration.

So, what should you do if you suspect that your dog has been bitten by a rattlesnake. First, bring your dog in to your veterinarian for an assessment. If you happen to kill the snake, bring it in or a picture in to your veterinarian so that they can confirm that it was indeed a rattlesnake or other venomous snake. Once your dog has been admitted, a blood sample will be drawn to test the Complete Blood Count (CBC). The purpose of this test is to measure the platelets and red blood cells, which are affected by hemotoxic venom. The CBC will also reveal values for other things such as white blood cells, etc.

Some veterinarians will evaluate the blood work before giving antivenin and if your dog does not show any symptoms or the classic swelling in the region of the bite. Blood work may be repeated a few times before your dog is discharged. If your dog has the swelling present and blood values are lower than normal, your veterinarian may advice administering antivenin. If the clinic you go to offers 24 hour emergency service, your dog may be admitted overnight to be put on intravenous fluid administration. If the clinic you go to is not 24 hours, your veterinarian will refer you to an emergency clinic.

The most important thing to remember is to NOT wait until you see signs of a rattlesnake bite (i.e. swelling, lethargy, etc.). Make sure that you take your dog in as soon as you suspect the possibility of a rattlesnake bite. If you wait and your dog has been injected with a large amount of hemotoxic venom, he/she can develop what is called DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation). This is a condition in which abnormal small blood clots occur throughout the body in the blood vessels. These small blood clots consume all of the proteins used in clotting and therefore, the body is depleted of the proper proteins to control coagulation throughout the rest of the body. This, in turn, leads to abnormal bleeding out in areas such as where blood samples were taken from, the digestive tract and the respiratory tract. This is where you do not want to be because it can lead to multiple organ failure and ultimately, death.