|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Snake Bites
By Andy Kohly,
Shooting Dog Editor
No
doubt anyone who has ever hunted with a dog in Arizona has at some point, given
more than just a little thought to the possibility of their dog being bitten by
a rattlesnake.
Arizona has the dubious distinction of being one of highest rattlesnake
populated areas of Southwest. In
general rattlesnake bites are not fatal if treated promptly and properly.
More importantly a little common sense can go a long way in both avoiding
and treating a rattlesnake bite.
COMMON SENSE AND RATTLESNAKES:
To
begin with have your dog “snake broke” which is actually snake avoidance training. Most
local trainers and breeders offer this service and at least here in Arizona,
many of the area dog clubs offer yearly snake breaking seminars.
The short version of snake breaking is this:
An electronic collar is placed on the dog and the dog is then shown a
defanged rattlesnake. When the dog
shows an interest in the snake and approaches it, that’s right, Ol’ Lightnin’
is zapped with the electricity. While
some would consider this cruel, I would offer that the pain of a rattlesnake
bite is much worse. These sessions continue only until the dog reaches a point
in which he not only shows no interest in the snake but makes every effort to
get away from it. There is some
disagreement among trainers in whether or not repeat sessions are needed.
Some suggest that this training is good for a lifetime while others
maintain that an annual refresher is needed.
My advice is to let your dog decide for you by going through all the
motions. Have the trainer work your
dog up to the snake and if he makes an obvious effort to avoid the snake, then
no juice is needed. Otherwise the
stage is already set and the trainer can apply the necessary stimulation via the
electronic collar.
Even with snake breaking the potential still exists:
Even
with snake breaking as a way to avoid rattlesnake bites, the potential still
exists. For example, one day while
hunting an area West of Globe, my GSP Shiloh who had been snake broken, was
working a brushy ridge and I heard the unmistakable buzz of a rattler. Luckily I “Whoa’d” Shiloh and hand signaled him
away before any harm could come to him. Before
rushing him off to the trainer for refresher I thought about the incident and
consulted my good friend and GSP guru, Larry Smith.
Larry made a very good point when after questioning me about the wind,
and direction Shiloh was working concluded that it was very likely that Shiloh
never even knew the snake was there. The
wind was really howling that day and Shiloh was upwind of the snake so he had
very little chance of scenting the snake let alone hearing it.
This being the case I took what I perceived to be the next logical step
to ensure Shiloh’s safety.
Have a plan: Know your
veterinarian’s telephone numbers for both office and non-office or emergency
hours. After all, most of us hunt
on weekends or holidays when most veterinarian’s offices are closed.
Emergency
Field Treatment:
If
your dog is bitten, perform the following: ·
Identify
the type of snake, but do not risk being bitten.
·
Keep
your dog as quiet as possible with soothing talk and petting. ·
Loosen
or remove collars, dog boots or anything else that might impede your dog’s
immediate comfort.
·
Since
excitement and exertion speed the distribution of venom, carry your dog to your
vehicle and transport immediately. ·
Ice
packs or cold compresses can help ease pain and swelling but do not spend a
great deal of time with them as valuable travel time can be lost. ·
The
use of a tourniquet is widely and fiercely disputed.
Some camps claim they are real lifesavers yet others claim they are
downright dangerous, especially if left on for more than two hours.
If I am ever faced with this situation I would most likely forgo the
tourniquet and opt for an ice pack and hasty departure to the vet’s office
however you should consult your own canine health provider.
Snakebite Kits:
While
there are many off-the-shelf snakebite kits, many canine health providers agree
that the average layperson has neither the training or skill required to
effectively use them and that they can eat up valuable transportation time.
Additionally many of these kits have medications with expiration dates
that are often forgotten and some even require special handling such as
refrigeration.
The
main point in all of this is to teach your dog to avoid snakes and should Ol’
Lightnin’ ever get “snakebit”
relax, stay calm. Most snakebites
are not fatal when properly and promptly treated by a veterinarian.
Good
Hunting,
Andy
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
About
AZOD.com
|
Privacy Statement |
Submission of info Policy|
E-mail the Editor |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
.JPG)
