Snake bite or spider bite?

[HoneyBee]

How do you tell the difference between a snake and spider bite?
Any suggestions on methods to make the bite heal faster?
I noticed Thursday evening that our Great Dane (Harley) had a swollen leg. I figured it maybe a snake bite because we do have a lot of copperheads around here, my hubby and I both examined her leg for fang marks and we couldn't find anything.
I gave her a shot of Penicillin Thursday night, Friday morning and last night.
Her leg wasn't looking any worse last night but this morning when we woke up its was 3x worse.
I took Harley to the vet and she told me due to Harley's age (8 yrs old) and the severity of the bite she has a 50/50 chance at making it. I don't give up very easily so Harley is on Baytril and amoxicillin for infection and carprofen for pain.
The vet thinks it was a snake bite and she is guessing moccasin or timber rattler. She said its to severe for a copperhead bite.
I am going to do water therapy on her twice daily and put an antibiotic salve on it after each wash. I know some of the skin and meat on her leg is going to slough off but I'm trying to keep her from dying at this point.

I am open to suggestions to help with loosing too much meat or skin off of her leg and to help draw the infection out faster...
Harley's leg on Friday

Harley's leg this morning

Harley's leg at the moment

[okrattler]

The snake bit animals I've seen had visible fang marks where they got hit. I've had dogs get stung by wasp and things like that and there wasn't anything except a bump where it got them.

I've never seen skin fall off a dog like that. I don't know what to tell you to put on it. Poor dog, that's got to be painful.

[BigRed323]

Any X-rays taken?

[HoneyBee]

Any X-rays taken?

No


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[HoneyBee]

The snake bit animals I've seen had visible fang marks where they got hit. I've had dogs get stung by wasp and things like that and there wasn't anything except a bump where it got them.

I've never seen skin fall off a dog like that. I don't know what to tell you to put on it. Poor dog, that's got to be painful.

I've never seen skin do that on dogs either, but I've seen it happen on livestock.
The vet showed me some pictures so I would know what to expect.
She doesn't act like it hurts too bad but I can only imagine how bad it hurts, thankfully the vet gave her some good pain meds.

[lovemylegacy]

A Recluse will do that...a big time scab and then it flakes or peels off.

[Coup de Grace]

Hows Harley this morning?

[Martin]

Dang, that's awful. Poor Harley. It sounds like you are doing everything possible to stay on top of this, I wish you and your old girl the best.

[locknload]

Take her to the Vet.

[HoneyBee]

Snake bite or spider bite?

Hows Harley this morning?

Thanks for asking.
She's still kicking however she seems to be in pain after the hydrotherapy this A.M. So I gave her more pain meds


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[HoneyBee]

Take her to the Vet.

Been there done that... I Could do it again but the vet would just tell me she already looked at her yesterday.

Vet sent us home with meds and told me good luck and to keep her updated.



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[HoneyBee]

The more meat and hair that falls off her leg the more I think this is probably a spider bite.

She did seem to be in pain this morning and I'm not okay with her suffering.
Here is Harley's leg this after hydrotherapy this morning.

Here is the hole that makes me think it's a spider bite




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[krisw]

Neighbors dog had something similar. Only a lot bigger spot. The vet said it was a snake bite as best he could tell. It wasn't nasty. Dog got better inside a week.

[Drycreek3189]

A Recluse will do that...a big time scab and then it flakes or peels off.

I just had a friend hospitalized from a brown recluse bite. He didn't know what it was and delayed getting to a doctor, and almost died. He's gonna lose lots of flesh from the infection. A recluse is nothing to mess around with !

[HoneyBee]

Snake bite or spider bite?

Like the vet forewarned me the wound is going to get worse before it gets better...
We're still doing hydrotherapy twice a day and she is still on Baytril and amoxicillin for infection and carprofen for pain. I also decided to do a wound spray called vetericyn instead of the salve because everything I've read about the two it looks like the vetericyn works better and I'm not as worried about her ingesting it as I am the salve.
Harley put weight on her leg this morning which to me is a huge improvement. Thank God that he gave me a strong husband that has been willing to help me lift Harley because she weighs 170#'s and I just can't do it on my own.

Harley's leg last night after cleaning it

Harley's leg this morning after cleaning it




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