Can any of you guys ID this bastard?






It left an abrasion type mark not fangs and he is acting ok. It was a baby snake maybe a little over a foot long light yellow and green or tan...


This is the patient...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P226RN,

Garter snake, your dog is gtg

Thank you!

Isn't round eyes usually a tell tale that a snake isn't venomous? I would have freaked out as well but now your dog may have rodents to chase.

Yes indeed. Didn’t kill it.

From what looks like a lump just past the head he/she has already eaten so the dog was safe. Just kidding. We have racers, black, and garter snakes all over the place here, they are just part of country living. How's freedom since you left Maryland? I bet you'er feeling pretty good these days. Merry Christmas, Chris

Loving WV

It is night and day in a good way!! Get out of Md if you can!

Looks like your dog bit the snake back.

I'v been bit by snakes three times, all non poisonous, snakes that "won't bother you". Well damn it, it hurts.

other than a bacterial infection your dog should be fine. On non venomous snakes that is the biggest issue.

Good... thanks everyone. I cleaned it with alcohol and put a little triple antibiotic on it. Will reapply a few times a day and keep an eye on it. Poor little guy. He’s just a little chi mix rescue. If it had been Willow (my Aussie) she would have told me to rub some dirt in it and forget about it.

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
other than a bacterial infection your dog should be fine. On non venomous snakes that is the biggest issue.

Many years ago my Vizla got bit on the nose by a massauga rattlesnake, very venomous little bastards! The vet reminded me that not all rattlesnake bites involve venom! This one did not, luckily, but bacterial infection is almost always present. He gave him a preventative antibiotic, and advised that as it was the nose, swelling could intefer with his breathing. So we got some plastic tubing to place in his nose to minimize his nostrils closing up totally if necessary. Swelling did occur, but the tubes were not necessary. Everything turned out well in the end.
Massauga rattlesnakes are a protected species in Iowa, and this one ended up in a very protected place. In fact we protected all the others found on or near our place! Champ was not inclined to mess with snakes after this incident!

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
I'v been bit by snakes three times, all non poisonous, snakes that "won't bother you". Well damn it, it hurts.

I handle a fair number of black snakes. Some of them up to about 5 feet long. Probably in the mid 40s range. I catch them all be hand, with one or 2 exceptions when I use a towel. Those exceptions are when the snake is so hyper it wants to bite in self defense. Not the usual thing if one treats them gently. The most "active" one was about 18-20 inches long, and I pulled it out of one of our bird houses where it was already about half way inside, going after the baby birds.

But finally calmed down and I carried it out into the woods and released it. They dispose of lots of critters and varmints and help keep the mouse population under control.

We had a neighbor some years ago that killed all the snakes, blacks as well, because they were "scared" of them. Didn't take long and they had a mouse problem with the little bastards invading the house! Then they wanted to know how to get some black snakes for their yard!

That didn't work out so well, either.

And I understand that the blacksnakes eat copperheads. About the only poisonous snakes we have around here. I have killed a couple of them.

I would think it would be a little cold for a snake this time of year for the WV area. Glad you dog is ok.

I wish we had more snakes than we do. Keeping the mice at bay is a pain, even with a few outdoor cats. I only see 1 or 2 Garter snakes a year and that's it.

Jim

My brother's Doberman was hell-bent on revenge after the 1st time she was bit by a snake & went after every one she saw or even smelled after that like her life depended on it! At the time we lived where copperheads were present so had to be super viligent keeping an eye on her.

One of THE best Siberians we ever had died in my arms after being bitten by a rattler that was on our driveway. I KILL every rattlesnake I see ever since. Screw the rodents, I'll buy mouse traps.

I asked our snake expert, this is from him Like jerkyjer mentioned:

Looks like a harmless Eastern Gartersnake: http://www.marshall.edu/herp/Snakes/Gartersnake.htm

Here is the main website. It is pretty good for West Virgina: http://www.marshall.edu/herp/pages/Snakes_Index.htm

Hope that helps, love dogs!!

Garter..... I used to catch them and let them go in our house as a child... My Mom beat the snot outta me!!

Thanks all. He seems to be healing fine. I am keeping an eye out for more in the yard on these sunny days. Not sure he is the type to learn to stay away from things that bite you.