Carroll County Lake Topics: Snakebit

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	Name:	Lakewood -
	Subject:	Snakebit
	Date:	5/11/2009 2:13:07 PM

I'm having MAJOR second thoughts about the decision to administer (extremely expensive) antivenom to my dog. As a rule, I don't quibble with doctors, including vets, but next time I likely will. He said they "do better" if antivenom is administered. I did ask what he meant by "do better" and he said less return visits, less necrosis, less chance of infection. I said yes but am more than starting to wish I hadn't. Nothing I can find online, scientific or anecdotal, suggests it's hardly ever a good idea for single copperhead bites, for dogs or people.

I found out one reason copperheads aren't very lethal is they give a lot of "dry bites" in which no or little venom is actually administered. Of course, you don't really know for awhile.

I tell you one side effect of such a bite: for years I've walked carelessly around my yard at the Lake. This weekend (one week post-bite) I was creeping around and my eyes buggin out in ALL directions. Nerve-wracking.

Another thing I don't know: the efficacy and usefulness of antivenom obviously varies depending on how long since the bite. But no source I can find says "After an hour (or 3 hours or 12 hours), no need to bother." Our dog was bit on Sunday and we drove to an emergency vet in Mgm, which was 60-plus minutes away. I wonder if it was totally academic by then.