The Family Pet by Dr. Michael Trapani - June 2017

May 24, 2017

“Spring is here, ah spring is here! Life is skittles and life is beer! I think the loveliest time of the year is spring, I do, don’t you? Of course you do.”

It’s been 60 years since twelve-fingered pianist and Harvard mathematician/humoristTom Lehrer entertained us with this homage to spring. Like the season itself, Tom’s opening is bright and lighthearted. One would never guess that the title of this charming song is “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park.” Tom’s dark, dark humor reminds me that spring is not a season for sissies.

Everyone loves the chirping of baby birds in spring time, but birds aren’t the only animals having babies. Rattlesnakes also get spring fever: First as they move around seeking mates and food. Later, when they hatch a brood of snake babies. But rattlers don’t actually lay their eggs, they retain them inside their bodies until hatching. This process, called ovovivipary, means that even a days-dead rattlesnake can yield living young. Mama Rattler tends to “birth” her young all at once, leaving a concentrated population or “nest” of baby rattlers, though she doesn’t actually nurture them. If you or your pet are unlucky enough to stumble into such a “nest of vipers” before the babies disperse, you could be bitten numerous times at once.

If that weren’t bad enough, wise old Mama and Papa Rattler conserve their venom and won’t inject their entire store when they bite. This is often not true for Rattlesnake Bambinos, who may inject much greater amounts of venom than necessary, making the bites of young, small snakes potentially more dangerous than those of much larger adults.

What do you do if you encounter a rattler? Control your dog and keep your distance! Rattlesnakes rattle as a warning, telling you that they feel threatened and you should stay away. These snakes can strike only about 2/3 of their body length, so it isn’t difficult to avoid them. Just watch where you step and take a close look before you sit while in rattlesnake country, particularly in the heat of day or early evening, when the snakes are active.

It has been claimed that 15,000 animals are bitten by rattlesnakes every year in the United States. In my previous practice in the Sierra foothills, I would frequently see rattlers along trails or warming themselves on the sides of the road. In the heat of the day, rattlers might be found near hoses and other water sources, as they try to keep cool. Dogs, cats, and horses would commonly be bitten, often right on the nose. Most of these bites were unmistakeable, given the rapid onset of pain and extreme swelling of the face or extremity. As often as not, two obvious puncture wounds were visible. Occasionally, we would see a patient with puncture wounds, and sometimes the owner would actually witness the bite, but no swelling or signs of envenomation would occur. These “dry bites” still have dangerous potential to become infected.

Quick veterinary treatment prevents death in the great majority of cases. Delayed treatment allows tissue death and infection to take place, often with very severe consequences. Don’t apply a tourniquet, or make any kind of cut, or apply ice to a fresh bite. Keep your pet as inactive as possible and get thee to the veterinarian immediately!

In decades past, we successfully treated rattlesnake bites with a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs and antihistamines, but I attribute much of this success to the relatively low toxicity of California rattlers when compared to other species. Nowadays, antivenin (pre-formed rattlesnake venom antibody) is available to quickly neutralize the venom and limit tissue destruction, but rapid treatment is essential to success. Don’t wait!

Rattlesnake vaccine is available for dogs and horses. This product does not eliminate the need for treatment after a bite, but can substantially reduce the severity. Talk to your family veterinarian about whether this vaccine is appropriate for your animals.

We have yet to see a patient with a rattlesnake bite in Bodega Bay, and I have never encountered a rattler while hiking near the ocean, but in the warmer inland areas of Sonoma County these snakes are common and pet owners must be cognizant of the risk to themselves and their pets.

And please, don’t go around killing rattlesnakes. These snakes politely warn you to leave them alone. They’re just trying to make a living eating mice and other rodents, and hold a very important place in the ecosystem. They may have a “hunting range,” but they do not establish territories and will move on when the food becomes scarce. Rattlesnakes in the environment are not a bad thing when their favorite foods are disease-carrying rodents!

Dr. Michael Trapani is a solo practitioner at Bodega Bay Veterinary Hospital. With 32 years in family veterinary practice, Dr. T offers focused, practical and efficient care aimed towards solving his patient's problem in an affordable way that works for the pet owner.