What to do in the first 10 minutes
- Keep your pet still and calm. Movement can spread venom.
- Carry them to the car if you can do it safely.
- Take off the collar if the bite is on the face or neck, since swelling can be fast.
- Call CARE at (757) 703-0199 and come straight in.
- Note the time of the bite. A photo of the snake from a safe distance helps, but don't try to catch or kill it.
Do not use a tourniquet, apply ice, cut the wound, or try to suck out the venom. These do not help and can cause more damage.
Can a dog survive a copperhead bite without a vet?
Some dogs do, but there is no way to tell at home which bites will turn serious. Venom can affect tissue and blood clotting well beyond the visible swelling, so every venomous snake bite should be seen by a veterinarian the same day.
What happens if your dog gets bitten by a copperhead snake?
Most bites cause fast, painful swelling around the bite, often on the face or a front leg, followed by bruising. Some dogs also develop clotting problems, weakness or low blood pressure, which is why the team checks blood work and monitors them closely.
Can I treat a copperhead dog snake bite at home?
No. There is no safe home treatment for a venomous bite. What you can do at home is keep your pet calm, take off the collar if the face or neck is swelling, and get to an emergency hospital.
Will Benadryl help a copperhead bite on a dog?
Don't rely on it. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) does not neutralize snake venom, and stopping to give it can delay real treatment. Don't give any medication at home unless a CARE veterinarian tells you to.
Dog copperhead bite timeline
Every bite is different, but this is what our team typically watches for:
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| First minutes to an hour | Pain, puncture marks, swelling starting at the bite |
| First several hours | Swelling spreads, bruising appears; this is when monitoring matters most |
| Through the first 24 hours | The team rechecks clotting tests, blood pressure and the wound |
| Following days | Swelling eases; some bites need ongoing wound care |
How CARE treats snake bites
- Pain control. Snake bites hurt, and comfort comes first.
- IV fluids to support blood pressure.
- Blood clotting tests and other blood work, repeated as needed.
- Monitoring in our hospital through the period when complications are most likely.
- Wound care for the bite site.
- [Hyperbaric oxygen therapy](/hyperbaric), which CARE uses for snake bites and wounds that are slow to heal.
Venomous snakes in Virginia
Virginia has 30 native snake species, and three are venomous: the northern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake and the cottonmouth (Wildlife Center of Virginia, via WSLS).
Copperheads are typically found in gardens and woodlots (Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, via WSLS). Around Williamsburg, that means backyards, woodpiles, leaf litter, and the trails around James City County and the Colonial Parkway. Keep dogs leashed on wooded trails and check the yard before letting them out at dusk in warm weather.