Yep- same dog as the thread the other day.

She lept out of her skin while sniffing in a corner by the deck. A few minutes later she was swelling on her right lip, 2 clear puncture marks with blood. The puncture wounds are about 3/8" apart, so it was a small snake.

We are at the vet now, so we will see what they say. Her breathing was very rapid, she was drooling w/ some blood mixed in, and her face was swelling like a beach ball. She got stung twice this afternoon by some hornets- rough day for the pup. But, that means she already had 50mg of Benadryl in her system a few hours ago. Gotta think that can only help with the snake bite? But maybe not.

I didn't see this snake, but I'm guessing it had to be another copperhead. I killed the last one, so we must have a bunch around. I sprayed foam under the perimeter of the deck to try and seal anything from getting under, so I'm not sure what else I can do to deter them. I might need a tighter seal. I've removed all grass, plants, and any hiding spots from the area Further ideas? Snake-Away hasn't worked at all. I'm about to go to war on these little jerks.

Prayers appreciated for the good dog, and for my kiddos. My daughter is especially worried.

Hang in there pup and next time stay a little further away.

ShouldastayedataTm said:

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Hang in there pup and next time stay a little further away.

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For real. Maybe she learned a lesson… maybe not. She is a lab, after all.

I think she's gonna be fine. Getting some pain meds, and going home. Doc seems confident that it didn't get her tongue, so no risk of that swelling and her chocking. But, I'm sure it's going to suck for a few days. Poor dog.

I didnt read your other thread but cicadas are hatching. Do you have live oaks? If so, the copperheads feast on them as they come out right after dark.

Might look into avoidance training but youd think getting bit twice would do it.

Prayers sent up for your pup. I strongly recommend 'snake proofing' your dog. Any hunting dog trainers in your area will typically offer this in the early Fall. Typically requires a refresh every year or two.

CS78 said:

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I didnt read your other thread but cicadas are hatching. Do you have live oaks? If so, the copperheads feast on them as they come out right after dark.

Might look into avoidance training but youd think getting bit twice would do it.

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Yes, LOADS of cicadas. I was guessing they were hanging around the deck to try and catch June bugs at night, but that makes a lot of sense too.

She didn't get bit the other day, she pulled the snake out from under my foot. Somehow neither of us did. She wasn't so lucky this time.

Im going to look into the avoidance training for sure.

Sorry to hear about this, cup. You've traded bears on your porch and 70 degree heat waves for copperheads under your porch and 100 + temps. Hang in there and let me know if you need anything. As someone posted in your other thread, as long as she's not a tiny dog, copperhead bites are usually not fatal.

Thanks doc, I truly always appreciate your advice and encouragement.

Given that I saw one baby copperhead 2 weeks ago, then killed one a few days ago, and now had our dog bitten by one (clearly small- puncture wounds 1/4" apart, didn't appear to touch the gums or tongue behind her lip)- do you think we have multiple living near the house or under the porch? Will they congregate, or are they more solitary? I just don't know much about copperheads and their habits.

I'm sure our pup will rebound in time. She is sleeping well tonight, breathing just fine. I'm glad we got her some meds, so at least she can rest and manage the pain/swelling in the coming days.

I'm mostly concerned about getting these stupid snakes taken care of so one of my kiddos or my wife doesn't get popped. This was a widow's house, and the property has been neglected for quite a while. I knew the back 1/2 would be pretty snakey (planning on tackling that in the winter), but I didn't imagine them being under the nice porch.

One way or another, I'm going to get this snake problem sorted. I'll have to put all the interior remodel on hold now until I do, because I'm coming in hot with both barrels blazing! *Im not a fan of killing snakes. But I am adopting the same rules as I had with the bears in CO- Come in my house, make yourself too comfortable around it, or mess with my family and I'm going to give you a dirt nap real quick*

If you saw one, then there's 10 around. Guarantee you'll see more this year if they are already that active.

2 barn cats will do wonders at keeping snakes away.

Prayers going up for your buddy. Hope all is ok. I killed a copperhead yesterday on our driveway and a cottonmouth down at the bridge by our creek. Down the road a bit an 8yr old little boy was bitten twice by a cottonmouth as he was playing in the creek yesterday afternoon.
They had to life flight him.... have not heard his status.
Snakes definitely active.
Be safe all.

Roger that on the barn cats.

We've had animals, including cats, bitten by copperheads. Never once became remotely life threatening. Swelling and discomfort, followed by a desire to sleep for a day or two.

Deck= snakes and animals underneath it. I don't like cats but always glad to see them occasionally in my yard hunting.

We have a MASSIVE deck and are surrounded by woods and I am blown away we have not seen a single animal underneath it and no copperheads. I'm sure after posting this we will see 10 today.

We are working to get more cats at our place. Killed a small one the other night after all stars.

I've always been told if in a rural area free ranging Guineas are a great snake deterrent. Supposed to keep snakes off property but when they discover the snake, they sound the alarm!

Gunny456 said:

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Prayers going up for your buddy. Hope all is ok. I killed a copperhead yesterday on our driveway and a cottonmouth down at the bridge by our creek. Down the road a bit an 8yr old little boy was bitten twice by a cottonmouth as he was playing in the creek yesterday afternoon.
They had to life flight him.... have not heard his status.
Snakes definitely active.
Be safe all.

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Ugh, that's awful. Will be praying for the young man.

There were 4 snake bit dogs that came into the vet after me last night. The whole staff was surprised by the surge. The little buggers must be coming out in droves.

I wish I could do guineas a barn cat. I only have 1.5 acres, just like everyone in my neighborhood, and my barn backs up to my neighbors property. No real way to keep a cat from roaming all over, which I doubt would be appreciated.

Im going to pull all the boards up on my deck today, and eradicate anything underneath with extreme prejudice. Im thinking of getting some stiff wire mesh and stapling it to the back of the boards with a few inches buried as well. That ought to keep stuff from getting under as much, maybe.

I hope your buddy is doing better today. I have had really good luck catching copperheads and other snakes with those little black minnow/perch traps that you can buy at Academy. I place them where the snakes naturally crawl, like on the side of a house, deck, fence line, large tree or hedges. I position them so one side is touching the house, tree or shrub. I do not put any bait in them. I usually check them morning, late evening and before bed, for some snakes will eventually figure how to get back out. Good luck.

Cleaning out all the leaf litter helped in my house in SC.

As much as I dislike lawns, I can see the merits of a perimeter of stone/close mown grass/other sterile environment around a house.

When we built our house on the ranch we had lots of rattlesnakes. My grandfather told to scatter lots of moth balls all around the deck, flower beds, pump house, etc. We bought cheapest we could find in the Internet. It seems to work as we once in a blue moon see one around the house now. We do it two or three times a year during spring/summer.

There's a National Snakebite Facebook group that posts the recommended treatment for snakebites. Says Benadryl does absolutely nothing, because envenomation swelling is not an allergic reaction.

We had a pup bit under the chin by a copperhead 2 summers ago. She was about 6 months old. Her poor face swelled up, drooling everywhere. Luckily we're not far from Blue Pearl and they took her in right away. They administered pain meds and fluids, but held off on antivenin. They checked her blood multiple times to ensure it was clotting correctly. Within about 36 hours she was home and like it never happened.

Different dog got bit by a snake about 5 years ago in our backyard. Most likely a dry bite right above her eye. But it got abscessed, which ruptured. We were worried the skin would turn necrotic, but luckily she pulled through. It was about a month of antibiotics to get ir cleared up.

Seems like every July 4th we find a copperhead on our back porch or somewhere in the yard. Without fail. I've gotten pretty good about identifying the "good" snakes and letting them go. But after having two dogs bit by copperheads, I don't risk it anymore. If we see those, husband takes care of them with a shovel.

Get hold of King snake. Not sure where, but the ones we wrangled when I was a kid would dominate the area of copperheads and rattlesnakes, then move on where there was more to eat.

Gunny456 said:

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Prayers going up for your buddy. Hope all is ok. I killed a copperhead yesterday on our driveway and a cottonmouth down at the bridge by our creek. Down the road a bit an 8yr old little boy was bitten twice by a cottonmouth as he was playing in the creek yesterday afternoon.
They had to life flight him.... have not heard his status.
Snakes definitely active.
Be safe all.

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Same thing happened to a little boy in buna a few weeks ago. Copperheads suck.

cupofjoe04 said:

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ShouldastayedataTm said:

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Hang in there pup and next time stay a little further away.

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For real. Maybe she learned a lesson… maybe not. She is a lab, after all.

I think she's gonna be fine. Getting some pain meds, and going home. Doc seems confident that it didn't get her tongue, so no risk of that swelling and her chocking. But, I'm sure it's going to suck for a few days. Poor dog.

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if it is like my lab, you won't even know she was bit in the morning

Get a few guinea fowl and let them live there and your snakes will disappear.

**UPDATE**

The dog is looking great tonight. Swelling greatly reduced, no further issues, and appetite fully back. I'de say she is about 70% right now. Dang dogs are resilient. You can still see the swelling for sure, but it is settling down in her neck now. She doesn't seem to be in too much pain. I will probably cut the pain meds tomorrow if she doesn't need them.




I ripped up most of the back deck, and didn't find a thing or even evidence of snake under there. Not saying they weren't, but they aren't now. I spread out moth balls pretty thick, and sprayed gas down in some holes and drains to flush anything out. I put a heavy dose of moth balls under the old shed, around and inside the barn, along the back creek in every brush and rock pile I could find, and even in the garage (we still have a bunch of boxes in there).

Then I put a layer of crushed moth balls all along the fence in the small yard, trying to create a barrier where I figured the snakes were coming in. I walked a patrol around dark. As I came out the front door, my wife spotted a snake trying to cross the front walkway. Out in the open looking sort of lost. I suspect it was the same one that had been crossing the back yard, but he had to go around tonight because of the smell. He seemed like he was traveling or running, not creeping along the edges.

With sharp shooter (the shovel kind) in hand I made quick work of him. He was much bigger than the last one, but I was surprised at how small his head was. Looking at the fang spacing, this quite possibly could be the same one that bit my dog last night. Just bigger than I had guessed.

I'm going to keep the moth balls out for a long time, until I can get all the brush cleared. I'm also planning on walking nightly patrols for a while around dark. I figure if I'm out putting pressure on them when they are getting active in the evenings, any remaining snakes might try and find some quieter hunting areas.

Next step is to make sure there are no mice or rats around. I haven't seen any evidence, but I'm sure there are some. Then on to cleaning up some of the brush, rock, and dead limb piles the previous owner left for me on the back of the property.

Thanks for all the advice guys!!!!

Tha snakebite turned your lab some weird orange color

Sea Speed said:

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Tha snakebite turned your lab some weird orange color

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It's what happens to silver labs when they get bitten by copperheads. They turn into red labs.

This was my dummy dog the three different times he FAFO with copperheads. First time in 2022 required a vet visit and antivenin. He had 90% affected blood on a smear test.


June 21, 2023, he got bit by a baby copperhead while I was talking to a neighbor about him getting bit the year prior and how I just gave him his rattlesnake vaccine 2 days ago on the 19th. I shoved some Benadryl down his throat and I just let him sit there and think about how dumb he was while I worked from home.



July 20, I took him to snake avoidance mostly for rattlesnakes. They did have a copperhead and a cottonmouth in a cage that he didn't want anything to do with.

September 28, he got bit a 3rd time. Gave him Gabapentin, Benadryl, and an antibiotic. I hope he learned from last year, but I doubt it. I bet he gets bit again this year. Cicadas seem to draw them around my yard.

I had a GSP pair that would kill any snake in my yard. They would take turns snatching it up and violently shaking it. It looked like one of those hand rattle drums.

As they got older my male finally got bit. Gave him a shot of dex and he was good as new in the morning.

cupofjoe04 said:

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CS78 said:

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I didnt read your other thread but cicadas are hatching. Do you have live oaks? If so, the copperheads feast on them as they come out right after dark.

Might look into avoidance training but youd think getting bit twice would do it.

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Yes, LOADS of cicadas. I was guessing they were hanging around the deck to try and catch June bugs at night, but that makes a lot of sense too.

She didn't get bit the other day, she pulled the snake out from under my foot. Somehow neither of us did. She wasn't so lucky this time.

Im going to look into the avoidance training for sure.

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Sorry to hear about your pup!
Not sure where you live but my fiance and I will be hosting a Snake Avoidance Training clinic in August just before dove season... Snake guy brings rattlers, copperhead and water moccasins. In Blanco Tx

LukeDuke said:

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I had a GSP pair that would kill any snake in my yard. They would take turns snatching it up and violently shaking it. It looked like one of those hand rattle drums.

As they got older my male finally got bit. Gave him a shot of dex and he was good as new in the morning.

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this was also how my Chocolate would kill snakes. I would here a frantic barking and he would be on one - he never stopped grabbing, shaking and flinging up into the air until the snake stopped showing any signs of life. Just Instinctive I guess.

I would love some info on that. I am in N Dallas, but have a friend towards Blanco I need to come see. My email is username at g m a i l

cupofjoe04 said:

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I would love some info on that. I am in N Dallas, but have a friend towards Blanco I need to come see. My email is username at g m a i l

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There's one in Weatherford and one in Mesquite every year.

https://www.snakebreaker.com/items