What should you do if an adder bites your dog?

[santaman2000]

You can use a rubber snake,...simply put the snake on the floor & as the dog approaches (hopefully hesitantly) take the snake, slide it along the floor like a real one & make it lunge at the dog...........the doggy should get a scare & back off....if it does that's a good sign & should refuse to approach the rubber snake again. .....end of lesson, no need to continue.
If however the dog is more fiesty, place the snake on the floor again, & as the dog approaches, usually causiously, his entire concentration will be on the snake & when he's very near the snake give him a little pinch on a back leg,( do not hurt him it's just to give him a fright) he should jump in the air with fright.......he should now associate this & similar shaped objects with a fearful experience & not approach them...

You do realize that's almost the same method used to train dogs to hate any given species enough to deliberately hunt and kill it? You train coon dogs or squirrel dogs by letting a captured one bite them.

 

[santaman2000]

Jonathan, you mentioned breeding season as a particularly dangerous time. Do adders also get aggressive when shedding their skins? Most of our snakes here do because they are blinded by the scales covering their eyes at shedding time. If so, when is shedding time there?

 

[JonathanD]

I wouldn't say that snakes get more aggressive when shedding. They lose their sight and have to bask in the open to speed up shedding, so they become more defensive and less prone to negotiation if confronted by a perceived danger due to that loss of sense. It only lasts two to three days in any snake species. Adders slough soon after coming out of hibernation. That is the only guaranteed time of shedding. Throughout the rest of the year, it can happen at any time depending on the amount they've fed, the climate being good or not so good, and their age. An older snake sheds much less than a young snake in it's first couple of seasons.

It is true though, the fight or flight instinct is increased quite a bit in both directions depending on the situation.

 

[Rod Paradise]

You can use a rubber snake,...simply put the snake on the floor & as the dog approaches (hopefully hesitantly) take the snake, slide it along the floor like a real one & make it lunge at the dog...........the doggy should get a scare & back off....if it does that's a good sign & should refuse to approach the rubber snake again. .....end of lesson, no need to continue.
If however the dog is more fiesty, place the snake on the floor again, & as the dog approaches, usually causiously, his entire concentration will be on the snake & when he's very near the snake give him a little pinch on a back leg,( do not hurt him it's just to give him a fright) he should jump in the air with fright.......he should now associate this & similar shaped objects with a fearful experience & not approach them............

Your dog is a female, they have 2 advantages over males in this scenario,, firstly they are more cautious & use their common sense more & secondly they are less likely to attack something they're afraid of.

I'll give it some thought - think teasing the mutt with a rubber snake is more likely to end up with a destroyed rubber snake though. She is a female - but she's a scottish female - more aggro than the male!!!

 

[JonathanD]

I'd forgotten to mention that it might help if you found a vet that has access to Zargreb European Viper antivenin which is suitable for Vipera berus. Most hospitals do throughout the UK. A few vetinarians may do too, and you may find one that has stock if they have treated bites regularly over the years. This would show experience in dealing with berus envenomation, and experience would certainly be a lifesaver. There are some vets out there that recommend homeopathic treatment, which is just insane and could make things worse and certainly not better.

 

[JaySteel]

I've just found this thread so I thought I'd add to Jonathan's excellent advice. According to a report published in August 2011 by the British Veterinary Association 97% of dogs bitten by adders suffered significant morbidity and 4.6% of dogs treated failed to survive the Adder bite. Obviously these figures do not take into account those dogs that were bitten but were not taken to a veterinary practice for treatment. Some vets advise carrying Piriton tablets if you walk your dog in areas known to be inhabited by Adders. Piriton (active ingredient chlorphenamine maleate) is a sedating antihistamine tablet which can buy your dog time if bitten by an Adder until you get the dog to the vets.

Jason

 

[spoony]

if you know any shooters in basc theres a big section on dogs about insect stings and adder bites, describing symtoms what to do if they get bitten and how to avoid it. The lastest basc mag