Copperhead Bite Wounds in Dogs

Snake bites are serious business. According to Dr. Dawn Ruben at Petplace.com, about 150,000 animals a year are bitten by snakes. Dogs who get bit by copperheads may need to be treated because of envenomization, that is, the injection of the snake's venom into the wound.

  1. Types

    • Copperheads are a type of snake known as pit vipers. They are venomous, meaning their bite contains venom, or poison. Copperheads are a type of snake within the Crotalidae family, which includes both rattlesnakes and water moccasins. There are five subspecies of copperheads that live on the East Coast and southern states through Texas in the United States.

    Symptoms

    • Possible symptoms of a copperhead bite include rapid and painful swelling at the bite site, bleeding, bruising, tissue necrosis, drooling, rapid breathing, pale gums, tremors, vomiting, nausea, weakness and collapse. Most copperhead bites are not as serious as rattlesnake bites, but still need veterinary attention immediately.

    Treatment

    • If your dog gets bitten, it's important to get treatment as soon as possible. Keep your dog as quiet as possible and bring your dog to a veterinarian as soon as possible. While copperhead bites are less toxic than other snake bites and do not require antivenin, the veterinarian may administer diphenhydramine, antibiotics, pain medication and IV fluids. In cases where the dog was bitten on the throat, the veterinarian may have to perform an emergency tracheotomy so the dog can breathe.

      Dogs who are treated by a veterinarian have a greater than 99 percent chance of surviving with little or no tissue damage, according to the Veterinary and Aquatic Services Department of Drs. Foster &Smith.

    Misconceptions

    • Not all bites from a copperhead are venomous. About half of all snake bites show no symptoms because the poison was not injected.

    Warning

    • Do not apply a tourniquet, as this will further damage the tissue and restrict blood flow to the site. Don't try to suck the venom out, as you can cause worse problems with infection with bacteria from your mouth.