dogs and rattlesnakes

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Litoralis

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This is my first winter snowbirding in Needles, Ca, and I'm hoping someone can relieve my concerns regarding my dog being bitten by a rattlesnake.
I certainly will abide by Park rules and keep the mutt on a leash on the grounds, but his lifestyle up here in the PNW has afforded him the luxury of being off leash, allowed to run to his heart's content, most of the time.
I'm wondering if it would ever be safe to let him run and explore in the Needle's area, home to the Mojave Green rattlesnake.
I had planned to get him the vaccine from RedRock but the product doesn't protect against this particular rattler.
 
"I'm wondering if it would ever be safe to let him run and explore in the Needle's area, home to the Mojave Green rattlesnake."

In the middle of the day, I wouldn't worry about it too much. The Mojave rattlesnake likes warm nights, but can also be out in the early morning.

                                                  -Don-
 
Depends a lot on the dog.. But every time I've seen dogs and snakes together.. It was the dog who was putting on the bite and teh snake who was wishing it had gone elsewhere that day...  Not the other way around.

But then these were farm doggies.  They liked snakes... Thought they made nice tug-o-war ropes.

(They do after look like a dog toy)
 
We've never had a problem with our dogs and rattlesnakes in Death Valley. And we've let Sam out loose in the desert (but not in the park) and he's never run across any rattlers. I do try to watch him so that he doesn't stick his nose into any holes or under any bushes or rocks but that's kind of hard with a nosy labradork. Of course, the noisy beast probably scares away Mr No-Shoulders. If you're really worried about it, I wouldn't let him off the leash or at least keep away from shady spots.

Wendy
 
Our yellow lab ran loose on the desert in Brenda and Quartzsite nearly every day.  She was never off the leash in the park, but Tom would take her out in the open desert to get her exercise.  (Even in the open desert we carried plastic bags and cleaned up after her.)

She alerted us twice to rattlesnakes in planters on our deck in Redding which definitely would have gotten us before they ever would have gotten Dusty.  Her instinct seemed to be to stand back a safe distance and bark her head off.  It would still be good to be watchful about where the dog is running and what he/she might be investigating. 

Margi
 
LiveAboard said:
This is my first winter snowbirding in Needles, Ca, and I'm hoping someone can relieve my concerns regarding my dog being bitten by a rattlesnake.
I certainly will abide by Park rules and keep the mutt on a leash on the grounds, but his lifestyle up here in the PNW has afforded him the luxury of being off leash, allowed to run to his heart's content, most of the time.
I'm wondering if it would ever be safe to let him run and explore in the Needle's area, home to the Mojave Green rattlesnake.
I had planned to get him the vaccine from RedRock but the product doesn't protect against this particular rattler.
Click to expand...

Most areas in the SW are very strict about leashed dogs given the rabies hazard in the area.    Futhermore the desert is full of cactus and their thorns --- cholla being the absolute worst and most common.  If you are going to run a dog in the desert, provide him with boots.  (Check them out in Cabela's).  Generally a dog will get hit in the head around the muzzle.  Check with a vet on the prognosis of that -- he may tell you a gun is more sense than anti-venom.

Generally cactus is the greater hazard for an unwary citified dog.  I would say coyotes are next.  Insects like scorpions, black widows, and cotton ants (wingless wasps) are right in there too. 

Do you have good recall discipline on your pup?  If you do not, keep him on at least a cable leash.    Carry a pair of tongs or table forks and tweezers or needle nose pliers in any case to pull out cholli branches and spines.
 
I agree with Carl.  A prickley cactus can do some real damage to a dog.  Never let him walk in an area full of cacti because the needles will be on the ground where he can get them in his paws.  Also, curious dogs nosing into a cactus are bound to get a faceful of needles.  When we go four-wheeling in the desert we wear boots and jeans and always carry tweezers.  Needles can go right through a tennis shoe and we've picked a lot of needles out of the rubber soles of tennis shoes.  There is one called a Galloping Cactus because it "gallops" right off the bush and onto unsuspecting passersby.  I suggest always keeping him on a leash in cactus-prone areas and also make sure he stays on trails, not only to prevent injury to him but also to preserve the fragile desert terrain that breaks down 100-year-old living crust soils.

In addition to snakes and cacti I would add scorpions.  Our neighbor's German Shepherd nosed into a palm tree in their yard, got bitten on the nose by a scorpion, and died several days later.  Not good.  And the owner was devastated because she didn't realize the danger he was in inside their fenced yard.  I imagine black widow spiders might be equally deadly to a domestic pet.  So, you care enough about your dog to ask us for advice, and mine would be to make sure you always control where he places he feet and nose.  In this case, a leash is essential to prevent injury to the dog.

ArdraF
 
Added to what Carl said.....if it's a small dog, coyotes are a real hazard. They can grab a small dog and run off into the desert with it before you're even aware the coyote was in the area.
 
Thanks for all the great advice.
Talked to the park hosts, they said they've been there 3 years, never seen a rattler in the park. Also, they have a schnauzer (Isabelle) that chases the rabbits into the desert every day.
So then I called a local vet there. They said the park area wasn't bad, some valley a ways away was much more dangerous. They also said the Mojave green rattler was pretty rare around there, other rattlers more common in the surrounding area.

Also, they all said the snake are dormant in the winter, active in spring and summer.

All of this is ..somewhat...reassuring.

So...yesterday my mutt got his first rattlesnake immunization from my local vet. One more shot in 3 weeks, then a booster once a year.

And, I'm going to be damn careful with the little guy. Was told the local park in Needles has no problem with "good dogs" running and swimming". And hopefully Isabelle will show T-Bone the ropes. Nuthin like a little local knowledge.

Thanks all,

Mark & T-Bone

 
Talked to the park hosts, they said they've been there 3 years, never seen a rattler in the park. Also, they have a schnauzer (Isabelle) that chases the rabbits into the desert every day.
Click to expand...

Rattlers do not like civilization all that much.  The main hazard for them is away from human activity out on the desert or in tree groves away from man.  Just keep that in mind and you should have no problems.  Keep you pup from rooting around in brush heaps and litter near bushes.
 
I can't say for sure, but I have had 5 different dogs running around in the desert here in the SouthWest and never had an altercation with a rattler.  My wife is a vet tech, and she can count the number of snake bites on one hand that she has seen in the last 9 years.  Carry a leatherman tool with you to pull thorns- the dog will find them, I promise. 
 
I can't say for sure, but I have had 5 different dogs running around in the desert here in the SouthWest and never had an altercation with a rattler.  My wife is a vet tech, and she can count the number of snake bites on one hand that she has seen in the last 9 years.  Carry a leatherman tool with you to pull thorns- the dog will find them, I promise.
Click to expand...

Good news and good advice!
 
When we stayed at Brenda AZ I was aware of at least two dogs that succumed to rattlesnake bites and several cats and dogs that made nice meals for the coyotes.
 
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