It seems every summer we get frantic inquiries if charcoal will help with rattlesnake bites on dogs, which if left untreated, can be deadly. So what do you do when the snake bites and the venom flows, and you're freaking out?
If you have charcoal on hand you should immediately prepare both a poultice or a charcoal gel along with a charcoal slurry using Vet Detox Powder, here's how:
The poultice needs to cover not only the immediate bite, but at least two to three inches diameter from the center of the wound. Place the charcoal poultice on the affected area with a layer of plastic on top, to keep it moist and bandage with vet wrap to secure and hold the poultice in place. For the first day of the bite, change the poultice every two to three hours. Check out the video How to make a poultice. If the bite is in an area that cannot be easily wrapped then use the gel method below.
Making a charcoal gel is very easy and takes as little as 2 ingredients, 3 if you want to keep the mixture moist even longer. Mix two parts of Aloe Vera gel (we like Lilly of the Desert) to one part Vet Dtox powder, stirring slowly and carefully until it becomes a thick, black gel and apply liberally to the affected area as mentioned above, and placing plastic on top and wrapping with vet wrap, if possible. To keep the gel moist longer, it is helpful (but not necessary) to add olive oil or melted coconut oil to the gel. Usually adding 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per batch of gel recipe that requires, two tablespoons of each charcoal powder and Aloe Vera Gel: Please Watch This Video On How To Make Charcoal Gel.
Treating a Snake Bite OrallyNext you will want to administer a slurry to help remove the toxins internally, watch the video here. Add 2 Tbs of charcoal to approximately 1/4 cup of water. Next, administer the entire dose via syringe in the mouth then gently rub the throat to encourage swallowing.
If a syringe application is not achievable mix well 2Tbs (or more depending on the size of the animal, see charcoal dosage chart here) with charcoal powder into wet dog food and encourage them to eat.
One last option would be a ready made UAA GEL, that you can administer, which you can purchase here:
Jeanine from California had three different dogs suffer rattlesnake bites and all recovered without paying a trip to the vet. She also saved herself a pretty penny by having Vet Dtox on hand. Vet Dtox is 100% pure activated charcoal powder that is used world wide for food and drug poisonings in animals. Jeanine actually learned about this amazing super natural remedy in the Complete Handbook of Medicinal Charcoal and Its Applications.
Jeanine emailed Charcoal House with her personal Dog Testimonies:
"I can tell you that three times I have given charcoal to three separate dogs that were bitten by a rattlesnake. In all three cases the dog’s neck or face was swollen. I gave a charcoal slurry drink with a little flavor in it, most recently just 2 months ago. I gave it to him within an hour of the bite, his swelling was almost completely gone. I had also smeared it on the wound on the upper lip. All 3 dogs were given no other treatment"
Jeanine, California, Aug 2020
In addition to being an excellent remedy for snakebites, activated charcoal is also useful to have on hand for other infirmities common to the animal kingdom. Click here for more benefits of activated charcoal for your animals.
