My kitten was bit by a copperhead!

    • Gold Top Dog

    My kitten was bit by a copperhead!

    I know he's not a dog and there is a cat section but it doesn't seem very active and y'all are always so helpful.  I have given him benadrly and he's hiding under the house now.  It happened at bed time so my husband is wigging out and my 2 yr old is trying to crawl in my lap and asking me to read her a book (which my vet highly recommends) while I'm trying to get a Benadryl dosage from google.  He's almost 14 weeks old.  We've had dogs bit and some of our adult cats and they have all been OK but he's so small I'm worried.  I can take him in to the vet in the morning if he's still here, the closest emergency vet is at least 50 miles.  So other than keeping him calm and dosing him with benadryl is there anything else I can do from home? 

    • Moderators
    • Gold Top Dog

    Are there no emergency vets to call where you live, at least to get advice?

    • Gold Top Dog

     I talked to my vet his advice was exactly what I did.

    Thanks

    • Gold Top Dog

    I once found this info on the web:

    Keep the cat quiet if you can.

    If the bite is on a leg, apply a constricting bandage (strip of cloth or gauze would do)  between the bite and the cat's heart. Be sure you can get at least an adult finger between the bandage and the leg, and loosen it completely for five minutes every hour.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Are copperhead's poisonous? Also, 14 weeks is way to young for a kitten to be outside,IMO. Kittens, just like puppies need to be watched otherwise they'll get in harmful situations.

    • Gold Top Dog

    tiffy
    Are copperhead's poisonous?

    They sure are!!  The following info is about people.  I don't know the stats for cats.

    http://www.copperheadsnake.net/
    "Approximately 37 percent of all venomous snake bites are from copperheads.

    In some states the percentage of venomous snake bites caused by the Agkistrodon is much higher. Over a 40 year period in North Carolina, 64 percent of all venomous bites were caused by the copperhead.

    Copperhead snake bites can cause swelling, local tissue injury, abnormally low blood pressure, lack of blood clotting and general pain in all limbs. It is however very rare that bites from copperhead snakes lead to death. In recent years there haven't been many reports about fatal bites from copperheads. However, a former police officer from Madison County, Texas is believed to have died from the poison of a copperhead snake in 2006. The chance of a fatal bite and envenomation by a copperhead is probably less than 1:5000. Bites can however have serious medical consequences and require immediate medical attention."

    • Gold Top Dog

    More on copperheads:

    http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/copperhead.htm
    "Copperheads bite more people in most years than any other U.S. species, but they also have the mildest venom. ...

    The copperhead's initial threat display is to strike. It lashes out at an enemy as a warning. If the enemy is close enough, the fangs may penetrate the skin. However, because this is a threat display, not an attempt to kill, the snake injects little venom. A copperhead has no intention of wasting valuable venom if it can scare away the menace with a minor bite.

    Keep in mind, however, that even a non-fatal bite needs medical attention, is extremely painful, and may cause extensive scarring and loss of use."

    • Gold Top Dog

     Hows the kitten?

    • Puppy

     9\10 times snake bites from venomous snakes are 'dry bites' meaning its just a warning that 'if you keep messing with me youll die', they normally do not release any venom the first two strikes but after the very first lung you're in trouble.