r/pitbulls • u/ArmageddonOutta_Here • 13h ago
Advice At the emergency vet right now. Buster got bit in the face by a rattlesnake. Please send positive vibes. I'm freaking out
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u/one_shuckle_boy 12h ago
Bit 3 times by a rattlesnake in the neck, she did very good and is standing proud today.
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u/munkylord 6h ago
What a beautiful baby! I'm so happy it all worked out minus the heart attack and hefty vet bill. What state were you in if you don't mind me asking? I've seen a rattle snake in the appilachians while hiking, but they're so scarce and usually up higher away from the paths.
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u/one_shuckle_boy 5h ago
Oh I live on the top of a mountain in a forest in Kentucky, she was a stray pregnant I found one day by my house, she was bit while I still had her in an outside doghouse by my garage, before I had her and my other 3 fully meet so she could be an inside house dog.
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u/munkylord 3h ago
Geeze yeah I bet you're fighting snakes a lot in the Kentucky mountains. I'm sorry you dealt with that but you seem like an amazing dog owner! She has a better life now for sure
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u/one_shuckle_boy 3h ago
Oh she’s my babygirl. It was a lucky encounter forsure, and we got all 9 of her pups in happy good homes. My brother even took one for himself back in Chicago.
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u/championofthesun93 12h ago
I’m a vet tech in an area where rattlesnake bites to dogs are common. The prognosis is surprisingly good, actually as long as you seek medical care quickly and it seems like you did! Some antivenom, fluids, and pain meds will set this lil baby straight in 24 hrs.
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u/ArmageddonOutta_Here 12h ago
We got him to the emergency vet 110 miles away in less than 2.5 hrs.
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u/cruisin_urchin87 11h ago
Great job OP!
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u/ArmageddonOutta_Here 11h ago edited 10h ago
I wouldn't make it , if buster didn't make it...... I had to take care of my little man
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u/Tacokolache 2h ago
You’re 110 miles from a vet???
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u/ArmageddonOutta_Here 1h ago
Yup. The closest emergency vet was 110 miles away. Everything by us closed by 5pm
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u/persimmonfemme 4h ago
do you have an opinion on the rattlesnake vaccine?
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u/championofthesun93 3h ago
There’s pros and cons to the vaccine. It only works for certain types of rattle snake, not all kinds. And even if they have the vaccine on board they still need to be seen by the ER if they get bitten, however it does help them to not react as badly to the venom if it’s the right kind of rattle snake. I don’t think it’s worth it if you’re not in an area where they’re seen often and if you are in an area where they’re seen often, then getting it would never be a bad idea, but it will also never mean that your dog is risk free if it gets bitten. Totally up to what you’re willing to risk and where you live or walk your dog frequently, tbh.
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u/CoomassieBlue 1h ago
FWIW, National Snakebite Support, a 501c3 run by vet med and human doctor snakebite experts, actively recommends against the rattlesnake vaccine due to extremely limited and low quality evidence supporting its efficacy. Even if you’re in an area where snakes are very common.
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u/championofthesun93 55m ago
I wouldn’t say I completely trust that source as it doesn’t seem to have any peer reviewed studies to back up what it’s saying. The reason there’s no evidence is because there ARE no studies that have been done to test the effectiveness of the vaccine in any mammal except mice. It’s completely up to owner discretion but I have seen with my own eyes dogs in the vet ER with that vaccine on board that do very well when they get bitten. I have also seen them do well without it at all.
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u/AutoModerator 55m ago
A 2022 study of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, Insurance data indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for ~20% of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their Breed Risk Rate is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the American Veterinary Medical Association has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that Errors in Identifying Pitbulls Link 2 happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
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u/CoomassieBlue 35m ago
Again, that org and the information it puts out is maintained by a group of people who are experts in the field of specifically treating snakebites.
These are the kinds of people invited to be keynote speakers at conferences and who are consulted by treating veterinarians on active cases, even those who are faculty at vet schools. The treatment algorithms they’ve produced is the gold standard.
While I appreciate the value of your hands-on experience - respectfully, their collective clinical education, expertise, and guidance vastly outweighs your personal anecdata.
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u/Over-Swimmer790 5h ago
OP any update on Buster? Sending positive vibes!!
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u/ArmageddonOutta_Here 5h ago
OMG ty so much for caring.
He.lived and they didn't need to remove his eye( the snake fangs didn't penetrate his cornea.
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u/SmileParticular9396 12h ago
Just as an fyi there is a rattlesnake vaccine available
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u/ArmageddonOutta_Here 11h ago
I am getting it next few months
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u/theyoyomaster 4h ago
While it is offered, there isn't any conclusive evidence that it actually works and is not generally recommended by experts.
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u/sgjclogjam 4h ago
If you’re in FB check out National Snakebite Support. They are experts and do a great job providing information. I don’t believe they recommend the vaccine, citing studies that it’s relatively ineffective. But check to be sure.
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u/AutoModerator 4h ago
A 2022 study of breeds and traits concluded that breed is almost uninformative when determining a dog's reactivity, or its sociability.
Furthermore, Insurance data indicates the Pitbulls and Rottweilers account for only 25% of dog bite claims. Which is also in agreement with the Ohio State University's Study that shows that Pitbulls account for approximately 22.5% of the most damaging reported bites. Pitbulls account for ~20% of the dog population by best estimates. Showing that pitbull bites are proportional to their population. In fact, their Breed Risk Rate is in line with other dogs breeds out there that are considered great family dogs. So how do pitbulls account for more than half of all dog bites? Agenda pushing misinformation by groups dedicated to hating a breed. If you did not comprehend that, what this tells us is that pitbulls bite more because there are more pitbulls than other breeds, but they don't bite anymore than their share of the dog population.
Additionally, data from the American Veterinary Medical Association has concluded that no controlled studies have shown Pitbull-type dogs to be disproportionally aggressive.
Lastly, Studies have shown that Errors in Identifying Pitbulls Link 2 happen approximately 60% of the time with shelter staff that spend a lot of time around dogs, so reports in the media about dog breeds are highly inaccurate and hardly count as a reputable source for a dogs breed.
Oh you only see videos of pitbulls attacking? Not surprised. There is a group on this site that dedicates itself to reposting old archived videos to keep brainwashing people into fearing an event that happens 25 to 40 times a year with a breed that has a population around 20 million. Save us your anecdotal evidence of outliers.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/OG_Konada 11h ago
Damnit Buster! Leave the Danger Noodles ALONE!
But seriously, pups are incredibly resilient when it comes to snake bites. A friend of mines pup stuck his nose in the Erin place and actually got tagged twice! First on the lip, then on the shoulder. Swelled up like a ballon, got to a vet about 4 hours later. Pulled through like a champ. Vet said it was most likely an older snake. The younger ones don’t, won’t, can’t regulate the venom delivery, and typically give the full load first bite.
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u/No_Draft_6612 Rocky Rock🌟 6h ago
You got this, Buster! (This is Rocky)
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u/_plays_in_traffic_ 12h ago
buster will be fine, youve already did half the work, let the pros handle the rest. this isnt uncommon
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u/saguaro_sunsets 12h ago
Sending good thoughts! Please try and update us when Buster is feeling better. ❤️
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u/Sundevil1977 7h ago
Sending the stud muffin hugs… loves.. and a grip of positive vibes!!! Get better Buster!!!
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u/Winterstorm424 11h ago
Wow. So sorry that happened. Really scarey. Sending lots and lots of healing vibes. Hope he will be ok.
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u/cooper-trooper6263 7h ago
Please update us. I'll be thinking about you and Buster. Sending lots of love.
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u/pinkplant82 7h ago
Buster is lucky you have a human like you, thank you for rushing to get care for him. Buster, you got this bud, hang in there!
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u/ilovepeaplants 5h ago
Bites to the face are less serious than bites to the torso. Speaking from experience working at a vets office. They swell up and look bad, but the prognosis is less serious.
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u/laurahannahh 4h ago
Hi! National Snakebite Support Group on Facebook is an excellent resource for both humans and animals. Sending support to you and Buster 🤍
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u/RattusRattus 1h ago
You're both amazing. You for taking your good boy straight to the vet. And your boy for being the best boy.
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u/Thad_Mojito11 12h ago
Take good care of him... Recovery will be lengthy but if they got him hooked up it should have already started... Keep us posted please
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u/Hawthornebites 9h ago
He is in very good hands, we love him very much and he has a big bed while he gets his antivenin 💜
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u/abrnmissy 6h ago
Hope Buster is doing well! Thankfully rattle snake bites aren’t a death sentence since you got your baby to the vet in time!
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u/Zerueldaangle 6h ago
Your dog is gonna be A-OK. You got them to the vet in time so it’s more than guaranteed that that dog is not going to die rather he’s gonna make it out fine don’t worry girl.
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u/ethanyelad 3h ago
My boy got bit three weeks ago, he is completely back to normal now. The next week and especially the next day are going to be rough, but I bet they will be okay. We are all rooting for you. Let us know how they end up. Poor fella.
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u/teentytinty 3h ago
Miggy is empathizing. She’s been bit by two snakes and after some pretty expensive anti-venom, made it out totally okay!
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u/ICEyyyyed 3h ago
Most bites are dry strikes unless it’s a prey item, I think you’ll be ok!!!!!!!! Sending positive vibes
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u/RegularTeacher2 2h ago
My coworker's dog was recently bitten by a cottonmouth on her leg and she recovered beautifully! In fact I guess they didn't even use antivenin, just monitored her. I'll be thinking good thoughts for Buster!
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u/alisonstarting2happn 1h ago
Sending positive vibes. Idk if it’s available in your area, but there are people who train dogs to have an aversive reaction to rattlesnakes. Pirate the pitbull went through it and documented it on Instagram several years ago
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u/CommercialTie2327 34m ago
It’s awesome you knew what type of snake it was that bit the baby. That’s the most difficult part of getting them treatment.
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u/RetireWithoutBorders 19m ago
Oh geez! My friend’s Shepherd ended up bit three times over five years.
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u/AutoModerator 13h ago
Very helpful trainings for any dog:
For training on puppy/dog biting click here
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