Pit Bull Bitten by Copperhead

by Sharon

Brandy has a habit when we come in the gate to run ahead of us and run the perimeter of the fence as if to guard us. Last Sunday she did that and saw something that had entered her territory. We didn't know at first, but when we went to see what she had gotten, we realized she killed a copperhead and got bit in the process.

Of course just like children, they seem to have accidents on the weekend, so I called the Emergency Vet and they were really nice and said that they are very rarely fatal and get to my Vet asap. Tried to call him, not in, but I went ahead and did what someone recommended on the internet - I gave her liquid benadryl.

Next morning my Vet gave me a prescription for an antibiotic and told me to give her a baby aspirin twice a day. She's doing fine, seems like nothing phases her. But she did have a nasty looking wound just above her eye that has been healing up nicely.

I thought I'd post this so anyone having a similar event wouldn't automatically panic, but know that the copperhead snake is the least venomous snake of all the poisonous ones. But treat the bite as soon as you can and make sure the dog doesn't get worse.

Glad to say Brandy will be ok. She's a trouper and quite a hunter too. The snake is dead, long live Brandy!