The most common and dangerous bites occur on the dog's face. The two families of poisonous snakes found in Mississippi are coral snakes and pit vipers. Pit vipers include rattlesnakes, water moccasins and copperheads. Coral snakes, found on the Mississippi Coast, cause paralysis. The rattlesnake is the most dangerous of the pit vipers, followed by the water moccasin.
Copperheads are the least dangerous of the pit vipers.
Pit viper bites pose three potential problems. A dog can go into shock if injected with large amounts of venom near a major blood vessel. If a dog is bitten on the face or neck, large amounts of swelling can lead to closed airways. Pit viper bites also can kill tissue in the bite area. Dead tissue is ideal for bacteria growth and, if not treated properly, can lead to gangrene, other infections or even death.