How can you keep outdoor farm dogs safe from snakebite?

[slothman]

How can you keep outdoor farm dogs safe from snakebite?

[slothman]

We have a large population of coral snakes on my grandparents ranch. because of this most farm dogs we get dont last long, it's always the same MO A yelp followed by convulsions... the whole thing takes less than 6 or 7 mineuts, Im just tired of loosing good dogs this way and wondered if anyone had a suggestion

[Reid Jones]

try a snake collar. kinda like a flee and tick collar. uhm, actually no. this is a tough one, but i don't think a snake will bite your dog. it will, but it won't do it unless it feels it's necessary, like in a last resort situation. if it thinks its in danger. are your dogs going to be attacking the snake? are they aggressive? if not, you might not have a big problem. if they are pretty aggressive, bigger dogs, i would try maybe keeping them in an enclosed area. not a TINY little area, i hate seeing that.

[slothman]

We have fairly agressive farm dogs that, keep the hogs, coyotes, cats and uninvited "guests" out of the general area of our ranch house. We loose a dog this way about every year and a half to two years.

[bonnier-admin_2]

Contact your local vet

[Jim in Mo]

Is this from your home in Tx? That's amazing. I'd call a vet/trainer and see if there's something to make them disinterested in snakes.

[buckhunter]

I'd like to know the answer to this question. Don't forget to follow up when you get an answer from a vet.

[rabbitpolice88]

Slotheman,
Coral snakes altho extremely toxic and deadly they fangs are in the back of their mouths. It is called rear fanged snakes. This means they first have to get a hold of a smaller piece of skin and chew on it to break the skin and then inject the venom. This is why you almost never hear of people being bit by coral snakes. I would not worry about coral snakes. I would worry about rattlers, copperheads and cotton mouths.

[Del in KS]

My brother who lives in Lake CO Florida had a german shepherd. One day he saw the dog sniffing around a pile of leaves and heard him yelp. Dog got sick and died. Bro. investigated the leaf pile and found a 32 inch Coral. They like to hide in leaves and trash keep the area free of hiding places and train the dog to avoid snakes with a training collar and a non-poisonous snake.

[slothman]

Yes I am aware that coral snakes are rear fanged, but I have seen the snake that bit one of the dogs and it was a 31 inch coral snake... I used to have the skin. And because of the displayed symtoms, and how quickly the dog died I deduced that this is the same thing that has happened to our other dogs. The strange thing was that the dog didnt act agressive like he usually did with rattlers(which we also have) but just curious thats why I didnt realize what was happening. It grabbed his lower lip.

[slothman]

Thanks Del I'll get a collar

[ishawooa]

Regarding rattlesnakes there is a vaccine available from vets in most states to give the canine immunity. Of course coral snakes are mainly neurotoxic so the vaccine does not offer coverage from bites from that species.

[FloridaHunter1226]

I would suggest not only going to the Vet to see but maybe even training your dog to keep away from snakes. I mean, regardless, you are always taking a chance when your dogs are outside.

[hjohn429]

Well what I think you need to do is get rid of the snakes. You will have to search the property for piles of leaves and brush were the snakes can hide. If you find a nest you have to destroy all of the snakes there. Even though I love snakes and hate to kill something I wont eat, I still say you have to rid the property of the dog-killers. My neighbor once had dog that got bitten twice on the leg and once on the nose by Copperheads. It amazingly survived, but the snakes did not.

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with Del in KS and + 1 for you sir!!!