Four groups of poisonous snakes that include over twenty species in the United States are:

• Most common type is the rattlesnake family (Crotalus spp. and Sistrurus spp.)
• The copperheads
• The cottonmouths, or water moccasins
• Finally, the rarest but most poisonous are the coral snakes; these are related to cobras and mambas.

Coral snakes, copperheads, and water moccasins inhabit the southeastern United States only, while various rattlesnake species call much of the country home.

Usually, well over 95 percent of the bites are copperhead bites. Copperheads are rather aggressive and will often bite quickly. Apparently, their tolerance for intrusion is relatively low and the perceived threat is high. Despite their reputation for aggressiveness, most snakes are quite happy to leave humans alone unless they are threatened.

With some species this requires quite a treat. Copperheads and rattlesnakes are not generally aggressive, indeed they are passive. Some of the western rattlesnake species are not so calm, but we do not know how true this is, or if it comes from our cultural snake phobia. In contrast, rattlesnakes-at least the timber rattlesnake-are fairly passive and tolerant.

We have no direct knowledge of coral snakes, but our understanding is that many can be relatively aggressive. The cottonmouths apparently hold their ground rather than fleeing, though I do not know if they bite so readily as their copperhead relatives. In addition, their mouths are quite small, and it is difficult for them to bite anything much larger than a finger or toe, though their venom is extremely poisonous.

Rattlesnake venom is much more deadly and causes great damage to the local area. Some dogs will die (though most survive), and the survivors are left with quite a wound because a large area of tissue dies and sloughs off.

Fortunately, the venom of the copperheads is relatively benign. We have never seen a dog die from a bite. The wounds swell tremendously and appear fairly painful, but they heal without incident in the vast majority of cases. Coral snake venom is toxic to the nervous system and is highly fatal, thought it causes minimal damage to the bite area. Cottonmouth venom is similar to that of copperheads, perhaps slightly stronger.

Please don’t kill a snake just because you see it, however. Generally, if you leave them alone they will respect you as well. The best way to deal with snake bites is to avoid them. Use caution while walking in the woods. It is impossible to deliver this message to your dog, but staying on well-used trails will minimize exposure.                             

General Care for Snake Bites
 
(Coral snakes primarily live in the extreme southeast and Texas, so fortunately they are not a concern for most of us.) If your dog is bitten by a snake, you should take him to your veterinarian. If you know it was a rattlesnake, I suggest you use the injectable antivenin if available and if the bite is recent-within a couple of hours. I do not recommend antivenin for copperhead bites, as the risk from the antivenin is greater than that from the copperhead venom. Coral snake bites require antivenin, though I doubt the survival rate is good in many cases.  I have no experience with cottonmouth bites, but I would treat these as with copperhead bites unless your veterinarian believes the risk is as great as with a rattlesnake.

Use one of the following homeopathic remedies, but seek assistance from your veterinarian. The wound can be treated like any bite wound with the flush solution given above in the section on abscesses. Additionally, ecbinacea, Cedron, and the western herb golondrina may help detoxify the venom if applied topically. 

Homeopathic Treatment for Snake Bites

For any given remedy, use the highest potency you have on hand. Use in addition to veterinary care, not in lieu of care. Your remedy choice here is often hindered by what you have available.

If the dog is frantic, restless, and his pupils dilate easily, choose Belladonna. Apply any of the above herbs if available. If the wound changes begin to occur, give Arsenicum album, Lachesis, Cedrom, or Vipera. If the patient collapses, give Arsenicum or, if he is extremely cold, Compbora. Immediately upon discovering the bite, give either Ledum, Lachesis, or Belladonna. See the indications under dog and cat bites, above. Give Ecbinacea or Cedron if he develops a generalized infection subsequent to the bite; this usually happens twelve to forty-eight hours after a rattlesnake bite and rarely after bites from other snakes. Consider also Acetic acid or Carbo veg for weak animals and Pyrogenium or Carbolic acid for infections. I recommend consulting a homeopathic practitioner if your dog does not recover readily. For chronic ailments after snake bites, use Mercurius or Pbospboric acid according to symptoms, unless the symptoms indicate another remedy.