Rattle Snake Bit Treatment?

[4x4dually]

I've got a #600 heifer with a swollen right, rear, leg just above the dew claw. It seems to have two marks on it (like a snake bit). Since we have a large amount of Timber Rattlers on the place, I'm assuming this is what happened. I plan on getting her in the chute tomorrow when it is cool in the morning (cooler than 112 deg at least) and giving her 8-10 ml of penicillin, a shot of Dex, and maybe lancing the bottom of the swollen part and seeing if anything will drain.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I searched breifly but didn't find anything so I gave up.

 

[alisonb]

This may help - http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/213400.htm

 

[4x4dually]

Thanks for the info!

 

[raykour]

I had a calf get bitten in the face by a prairie rattler a couple of months ago. I had the vet out to see him, because I was worried about his breathing. She gave him dex, lasix, Excede, and banamine. Then I gave him a second dose of Excede 4 days later. In your situation, the pain and swelling probably aren't life threatening like they were to my calf and his airway closing due to the swelling. But, I would think a more heavy hitting antibiotic might be in order. I talked to some of my friends in Nebraska who get lots of snake bites, and they use La-200/300 or Biomycin in their older cows. One dose that is it.

I have also had cats, dogs, and horses bitten by prairie rattlers and after the first time which really freaked me out, I keep treatment minimal. Benadryl and pain relief for the dogs/cats and pain relief for the horse and just watch to make sure they are breathing OK if they got bit in the schnoze.

Good luck with your heifer.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

DO NOT lance it! That is asking for secondary infection.

Pain relief and anti-inflammatories if you have them, but a hind leg bite will probably recover just fine.

With snakebite on livestock they will either make it or not, you can spend lots of money and still have about the same odds. Only thing I would have a vet out for would be a horse or pricey animal bit on the nose that was having respiratory problems. Antivenin is EXPENSIVE and needs to be given quickly, so likely not to be very effective on most animals that are usually noticed hours or days later.

Interestingly, cats are the most immune of domestic animals - another good reason to keep a few around.

I have a LOT of snake bite experience, including my youngest son bit at 18 months of age INSIDE the house. (In August, out peak season - made him come in from the yard while I was doing something in the kitchen because I was worried about snakes - turns out there was a new hatchling in the living room.
He picked it up and it bit him.

Had a bigger one under this computer desk last July.

 

[4x4dually]

Thanks for all the advice. I lotted her this morning ang gave her 10ml of Pen. Going to get a shot of Banamine, Dexamethasone, and a blackleg w/ tetanus today from our traveling vet when she comes by. I'll work her again in the morning. That knot was hard as a rock. The only puss I could get out was right at the injection site, a little round, hole. It would ooze a tad, but still not much.

 

[Gale Seddon]

I have a LOT of snake bite experience, including my youngest son bit at 18 months of age INSIDE the house. (In August, out peak season - made him come in from the yard while I was doing something in the kitchen because I was worried about snakes - turns out there was a new hatchling in the living room.
He picked it up and it bit him.

Had a bigger one under this computer desk last July.

If something like that got in my house, I'd be moving OUT quickly. I wonder if guinea hens can deal with venomous snakes? Didn't realize that cats are less susceptible than other things.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

If something like that got in my house, I'd be moving OUT quickly. I wonder if guinea hens can deal with venomous snakes? Didn't realize that cats are less susceptible than other things.

They are good at sounding the alarm, but they sound it at everything and after a while you sort of hope something will get them. Don't know if they kill snakes or if they are immune, just couldn't take them more than one year that I had them.

 

[raykour]

Oh my gosh, I cannot BELIEVE that snake was in your house. ANd it bit your kid? How did that work out? WE have a 2 year old and I am constantly worried about him and the snakes. We live in the rocky mountain foothills in CO and have a fair population of rattlers.

As for guineas, they do kill snakes I have watched them. Their automatic reaction to them is to go up and start pecking, and once one starts they all get in on it and kill the nsake in short order. Chickens will also do this. I watched my hens kill a rattler about the size of the one pictured earlier this year.

I think the snake cannot bite through the feathers. Once they get close to the feathers their jaws close. All the plumage must offer some sort of protection.