Rattlesnake bites.

[Mare]

This is what I have experienced in my 57yrs. of rattlesnake bites to my animals. Very painful. The dogs I've seen get hit were very much in pain, real cry baby's, (I'm sure that I would be too). Depending on the size of the snake and the amount of venom injected, the outcome varies. Swelling is a given. If the critter lives through the night, it will most likely live. The anti-venom from a vet costs 15-1600 bucks and still isn't a for sure remedy. Antibiotics are necessary.

Sloughing of the skin happens within four to five days of being hit. The poison deteriorates the flesh and this is when things get really ugly! The swelling sinks to the lower areas of the body and it's like acid,,it eats away at the flesh and destroys it. The skin opens up and just falls apart. We had a Bassett Hound get hit on his chest and battled the slough for at least seven months. Many vet visits, stitches falling off, fox tails entering wound and coming out in other places..yeah pretty gross :(

Although rattlers may not take some lives, they are still a force to be reckon'd with!!

[2birds]

I've had a couple of horses get hit by pygmy rattlers. It doesn't seem to affect them as badly. I guess it has to do with the size of the animal.

[Mare]

Lori, we've had horses get hit on the legs and there is a lot of swelling and sloughing. From what I've heard, if they get bit in the nose area, that's a concern. The swelling could block their breathing. I've never heard of Pygmy rattlers?

[2birds]

Mare, Pygmy rattlers are in the south east. They are smaller than the diamond backs out west, but we have those too. The eastern diamond back. We also have the coral snakes to deal with. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the water moccasins or cotton mouths as some people call them. They are pretty aggressive.