A routine walk on a sunny day went south recently when man and his best friend encountered a snake and the dog didn't react as expected.
Russell Lewis and his 10-month-old Hungarian vizsla, Leo, were ambling down a nature trail in northwestern Austin, Texas, when Lewis spotted a large rattlesnake sunbathing in their way.
Leo pulled hard toward the snake, which struck him. What happened next is an owner's nightmare:
"Leo snapped his leash and took off running," Lewis said. "I ran after him, scooped him up, and he just went limp in my arms."
To make matters worse, Lewis had been involved in a car wreck the week before and was without a vehicle. He had no choice but to make his way toward his veterinarian's office on foot. Luckily, Harris Johnson was driving past, noticed the stranger struggling with a large dog in his arms and volunteered to take them to the vet's office.
Johnson also gave Lewis some life-saving advice. "He told me to keep petting my dog so he would stay relaxed," Lewis said.
Johnson's grandmother trained dogs for a living. "She didn't give lectures or anything, she just showed you what to do," Johnson said. "And one of the things you do when an animal is bitten by a snake is try to keep them calm."
Lewis and Leo made it to the emergency room before the snake venom did irreversible damage and Leo survived.
Scott Johnson, a veterinarian at the Emergency Animal Hospital of Northwest Austin, said snake venom breaks down the viscosity of tissue, affects coagulation, may cause necrosis of the tissue and can interfere with an animal's blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular system.
The most common signs that an animal has been attacked by a snake are small, bloody puncture wounds and behavior that suggests it's in severe pain. Seek medical attention right away.
"The worst thing you can do if your dog gets bit is wait," said Ashlie Abbott, veterinarian and medical director at VCA Tanglewood Animal Hospital in Austin.
Most veterinary clinics offer treatment such as pain medication, antihistamines, IV fluids and antibiotics. If the damage is severe and the animal needs blood or plasma, patients are referred to the emergency room or specialty vet clinic, Abbott said.
If you are not close to medical care, Abbott said, call your veterinary office, explain the situation and follow their advice, which most likely will include giving your animal a dose of Benadryl. "Benadryl is always your friend because it is an antihistamine that will reduce swelling and delay the reaction," she said.
Vaccines, which build antibodies against the venom, can reduce the harmful effects of snake bite, but veterinary care should still be sought, Johnson said. Vaccines are not recommended for every breed.
Johnson suggests keeping dogs on a leash and staying alert even where you don't expect to find a snake. "Snakes can be out in places you wouldn't expect them to be," he said, "and rattlesnakes don't necessarily always rattle."
Abbott suggests keeping dogs away from tall grass and shrubbery.
"Snakes usually are in the underbrush," she said. "When your dog gets in there, there is a good chance it will get bitten. You generally also want to keep your dog away from new housing development areas that have been recently cleared out."
ActiveStyle on 07/21/2014