OSoSwift Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Aww poor Buster. It's such an awful thing to go through. Rookie reacted really badly to the anti-venom. The second vial was actually put into his drip and given to him over a period of 5-6 hours. The black tar that he produced for the next two weeks was absolutely disgusting.Rookie's sister was bitten by a Red Belly about a month ago. She developed a severe infection and was kept sedated at the vets for about a week and a half. I had never heard of a dog reacting that bad to a black snake. I worry greatly as to what damage has been done to her internal organs and whether she will be able to race again in the future. She doesn't live with me so I don't know all the details as to what her bloods revealed. Did the Vet give Rookie antihistamains (sp) first, every time Busters been Bitten ( 3x ) they have given them first, in case of a reaction, apparently its because the antivenin is from Horses and Dogs can be alergic to Horses, this is what one of the Vets told me. Its really upsetting watching them wait while the antohistamin works before they get the AntiVenein in, this is when i break down and get nervous. Busters first bite was a Red Belly Black at the end of the season, he came through that really well. But after the Two Browns last year he has aged so much ( he was just over 4 1/2 when it happened ) He also has issues with his Kidneys, we have taken him to a Chiropractor, who helped a lot with manipulation and laser treatment. I hope Rookie and his Sister never see another snake, what Breed are they? Geez Buster has had some encounters hasn't he! Living with him in summer would be very stressful. Fingers crossed he stays well away from them this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idigadog Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I have completed phase two of trying to more snake proof the dogs runs. One more day should have it licked. Then I hope I make it too hard for them and they go elsewhere. Agreed! Would you mind posting a piccie of what you've done please? I'm just not sure what more I can do around here :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Snakes from what I have been told by a snake guy will generally not waste venom on something that they cannot eat, unless they are in potential mortal danger. If they struck at everything they waste venom and they only make it at a certain rate. So if they struck and envenomated 50 large things they couldn't eat, then when they came across something they could eat they may not have much venom or concenration of venom to use. If of course a dog is razzing them up they will highly likely get killed so they will envenomate to attempt to nullify the danger. I am told that quite often a snake that has something get to close it will strike to get the danger to go away, and realistically that would be me gone for dust. They quite often don't envenomate at that time if they contact as it is more a warning which is quite often heeded. If the danger does not move away then they do envenomate.I have personally found the young babies seem to arc up really quickly and are very quick to open their mouths and go hell for leather to strike, heads flattened out, even when you are not really close. The adults tend to try getting away and only arc up when cornered or attacked. I am quite sure though that there are people on here that know way more than me I am just going on what I have been told in the past. I do agree with the concentration of venom thing though as the dogs we used to get at the beginning of the snake season took more antivenom to treat and went down hill faster as a general rule that those towards the end of the snake season. We had a higher rate of success from around half way through the snake season. My friend who works at the vet has said many are just not making it in even when they dog has been seen being bitten by the snake and they have hoofed it for town. Thank you for the explanation. It makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I have completed phase two of trying to more snake proof the dogs runs. One more day should have it licked. Then I hope I make it too hard for them and they go elsewhere. Agreed! Would you mind posting a piccie of what you've done please? I'm just not sure what more I can do around here :p Will do, hopefully will get if finished tomorrow, but when I do I will take some photos. Oh and I will post a photo of before as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idigadog Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Will do, hopefully will get if finished tomorrow, but when I do I will take some photos. Oh and I will post a photo of before as well :p Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yap Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Find your nearest Snake Handlers in your area or wherever & phone them & have a chat to them. They are the best to talk to & get advice. We had a python removed sunbaking in the tops of our willow pines which reached next to our kitchen door. Very Frightening as we had one of our boys tied up on the this verandah in the morning. Bbbbbrrrrrrrrrrr gives you heeevvvy cheeeevvvies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4DOGZ Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 I have completed phase two of trying to more snake proof the dogs runs. One more day should have it licked. Then I hope I make it too hard for them and they go elsewhere. Agreed! Would you mind posting a piccie of what you've done please? I'm just not sure what more I can do around here :D Will do, hopefully will get if finished tomorrow, but when I do I will take some photos. Oh and I will post a photo of before as well ;) Would love to see your Pic's, I have come in for a Drink from 'Snake Proofing' (hopefully), Once iam finished i will post some pics as well, but i won't be able to say it has worked until we see no more snakes in the Dog Area. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4DOGZ Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Our dogs are Siberians, so high prey drive and buckley's chance of them ever leaving a snake alone!! Sorry should have looked at your Sig before i asked ( iam a twit :D ) Gorgeous Dogs idigadog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I have completed phase two of trying to more snake proof the dogs runs. One more day should have it licked. Then I hope I make it too hard for them and they go elsewhere. Agreed! Would you mind posting a piccie of what you've done please? I'm just not sure what more I can do around here :D Will do, hopefully will get if finished tomorrow, but when I do I will take some photos. Oh and I will post a photo of before as well ;) Would love to see your Pic's, I have come in for a Drink from 'Snake Proofing' (hopefully), Once iam finished i will post some pics as well, but i won't be able to say it has worked until we see no more snakes in the Dog Area. :D YEp just when you think you might have done it another bloody snake gets in! I won't get it finished today as I have a killer sore throat and am lacking rather severly in energy. I am building a small yard attatched to the dog runs so will soon be back into trying to snake proof that as well - no rest for the wicked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4DOGZ Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 NZ is looking good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idigadog Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 NZ is looking good You're not friggin wrong!!! Another plus is there is alot of snow that we can run our puppies on I did more cleaning up and snake proofing today. Over it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubyroo Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Cooper must have got it at the right moment. He bit it in half before I could get to him. It would have been over a metre long. Wow Cooper is really lucky, I had a brown that got into my dogs run, and after his head fell off he was still fighting for the best part of the next 10mins he was not giving up at all!! I have gone around the dog run with the expanding foam and touch wood nothing for 18mths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 OH and I spent most of today cutting back grass and doing other clearing and snake proofing work. Am trying to look on the bright side, the property probably wouldn't look as neat if we lived in New Zealand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Our dogs are Siberians, so high prey drive and buckley's chance of them ever leaving a snake alone!! It's one of my biggest fears. Zero's prey drive is through the roof. We had a snake get in next door, though it was caught by the cat over the back (who is a house cat but had gotten out that day) and killed. I live in suburbia so even though i know it's unlikely to happen again, it still scares me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I have done half the shadeclothing that I wanted to, but not yet finished-bit under the weather! I have also gone around the dog runs with expanda foam. Where the bricks meet the metal pipe of the upright of the dog run and also around the roof so there are no gaps between the roofing and the metal piping they are attatched to. Also filled holes in the grout between the bricks and the flashing. Have to stitch together some more strips of shadecloth and then attatch those tomorrow I hope. All around my dogs runs are mowed and the weeds are sprayed so there are none growing near the runs and there is a strip of gravel all the way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepherds Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Hi All - Long time reader - first time poster and my fear of snakes has driven me to post. Im very much looking forward to the piccies of the snake proofed dog runs. One of my boys was bitten nearly two years ago now, and whilst he survived - what they dont tell you at the time is the long term health consequences a snake bite and the anti venom treatment can have. Today, whilst for the most part his health is okay, he is very hard to get condition and weight on him and if he gets bitten by anything else he has severe allergic reactions - his health and general constitution remain in a very delicate balance - that doesnt take much to upset. And while summer is great.....every year I dread it coming around and what it brings....so if I can do anything to give me some peace of mind when Im at work and they are in their runs it would be great. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Hi Shepherds Yes the health of your dog can suffer long term. I have also seen that if they dog is a little older say 5 and above it seems to take them longer to recover than a younger dog. I have often heard how much it has aged the dog. I have worked down here in the veterinary industry for 15 years before retiring and have seen many many animals bitten by snakes. And I think that is what makes me so worried about mine getting bitten. You know it can kill them but when you have battled and battled you know exactly what animals can go through. We have a huge amount of snakes this year and in particular tiger snakes here with a few browns. Luckily I do not work and can spend a lot of time with my dogs at home but there are times when they are in their dog runs and I worry. Hopefully they will be much more snake proof now. I hope your boy is fine this summer and you have no more encounters with snakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shepherds Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Thanks Ososwift Here we deal mainly with copperheads - although tigers are about. I actually had surgery the day after he was bitten and needless to say I was in and out of hospital before the my boy came home from the vets. I have photo's of him taken about a week before he was bitten and photo's taken within a few days of him coming home.....you wouldnt think it was the same dog. He was six months old at the time. So like you - knowing what we know - I will do whatever I need to to try and keep them safe. Wishing you a snake free summer and looking forward to the photo's of your handiwork. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idigadog Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Wishing you a snake free summer If only hey :D I truly don't mind the snakes being on the rest of our property but why can't they just ping off out of the dog yards and house yard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D4DOGZ Posted November 8, 2010 Author Share Posted November 8, 2010 Wishing you a snake free summer If only hey :D I truly don't mind the snakes being on the rest of our property but why can't they just ping off out of the dog yards and house yard I agree idigadog, we have 50 acres, so i can't see why they need to be in the Dog run, or the House area. We approx 2 acres area electified and a House Yard as well. 2 Dams outside the Electified area where plenty of frogs are, the guy doing our irigation last year said he seen a red belly black in the furtherest dam catching Frogs. So there is no need to come into our Yard. We didn't finish all our Snake proofing should be either through the week or next weekend. Iam also going to put a Camera facing the Dog Run and link it to my Computer and Phone as iam about to go back into my retail store so i won't be home all day every day. i will at least be able to check on my dogs and race home if i see any snakes or see my Dogs in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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