Live and Learn: How my dog survived a rattlesnake bite

Last Saturday, a rattler bit my dog, Moondoggie.

I didn’t see it happen, but I was there.

I was taking her for a walk and I looked back and saw that she was holding her paw up and licking it. I initially thought that she just had a sticker in her paw.

Then I noticed that she wasn’t moving and couldn’t put her paw down—so I walked to her and checked the pads of her foot. While I was checking her foot she just fell over.

It was then I noticed the puncture wound in her right foreleg. My heart started to race as the realization set in that she had just been bitten, probably by a rattlesnake—maybe a coral snake—but most likely a rattler.

We just happened to be at the end of the trail, of course, at the furthest point from the trailhead.

Luckily we weren’t down at the lake or I would’ve had to run uphill.

I did what anybody who loves their dog would do.

I threw my coffee down, picked up that 44-pound dog like a baby, and ran.

I tore the quarter- to half-mile distance down the path and back to my car.

My sunglasses flew off, and I kept running.

She just lay in my arms and looked up at me as I jostled her skinny little dog body to and fro.

Normally, she wouldn’t have let me carry her like a baby—let alone run along a dirt trail with her.

I would remember later that she looked up at me with total and unconditional trust.

As I came through the trailhead and along the horse stables toward my car, I caught the attention of some of my friends that live nearby. They came running out of their house, my two boys happened to be playing at their house.

My friend Jacqueline pulled my car keys out of my pocket, unlocked my car, and opened the station wagon’s rear hatch. I laid my dog on her bed in the back, jumped in the driver’s seat, and sped away.

I crossed the double yellow line and passed two cars on the frontage road near the lake. I didn’t look to acknowledge the nasty gestures I was sure I received from both. I was too busy dialing my vet.

I called my vet and told her that I was on my way. She told me not to come but to go straight to the emergency vet five miles up the freeway. She told me that they were the only vets in the area that carry antivenin.

I felt my bank account shrinking as she spoke.

My vet called the emergency hospital, so they were ready for me.

The receptionist opened the door and I carried Moondoggie to through the reception area and through the double doors where they had a table waiting. She lay on the table without any fight. By that, I knew she was not feeling good.

The doctor immediately gave her a huge dose of pain medication.

Snakebites are notoriously painful.

They started to work on her while at the same time explaining that the anti-venom was very expensive and they wouldn’t accept either one of my children as payment.

They shooed me out of the room to the front desk where they could explain in more detail how they were going to extract every dime I had to my name.

I turns out that antivenin is free in some countries but in Northern California it costs $934 for one injection of the stuff.

A forty-four pound dog takes at least two—at least that’s what they told me.

In the end, I agreed to one course of antivenin along with the antihistamines, the pain meds, the blood tests, the fluids, the catheter, examinations, blah, blah, blah.

She survived. All told, she was in their care for less than 24 hours, and the bill was almost $2,700. She made it through with no necrosis. She still has all her limbs; She has just gone off her pain medication and is acting somewhat normal.

But our bank account has suffered a major blow—and may never recover.

Stumble It!

Comments

[misti]

Holy Cow. Wow! I feel for you poor doggie and I feel for you bank account. Wow.

We let Baloo off the leash while hiking a lot and he's walked over a pygmy rattler before. Luckily it was too cool in the morning for the snake to be active. We're more worried about the gators here, but I can't even imagine.

[Carol, May Dreams Gardens]

Moondoggie has one of the best dog owners I know of.

[Gina Bommarito]

I am glad that Moondoggie made it!!! You are a heroine! I didn't realize how snakes can really suck up your bank account. At least Moondoggie is alive and well.

[chigiy]

Misti,

I'm glad your dog was not bitten. It's really expensive.

If I knew then what I know now, I'm not sure I would have gone the antivenin route. I am going to post about it soon.

Carol,
Thank you for saying that. I didn't want to lose her. And at the time I did not know how well dogs fair when they are bitten.

Gina,
Thank you.
You would have done the same for Bruno.

[Katie Hobson]

Wow. Poor Moondoggie. You're a hero for saving your dog's life. :D

[Glenda]

You were indeed lucky. And that she was a bigger dog. Small dogs succumb easily to snake bites. Do, you have any pet insurance on her ?

My heart would have beat out of my chest trying to run that path, but good ole adrenaline kicks in and off you go.

California sucks that way, to not offer it free or at least a reduced rate.

Ciao

[sharon]

I am going through the same thing right now! We got our dog antivenin and she is on day 3 of her recovery. Rattlesnake, So. Cal. Anyway, my elderly ole girl was protecting our two little kids. Very scary, but basically same symtoms. Right now, no bladder control, tongue control is not quite there yet, and we are beginning necrosis in one of the bites (her neck) She also got bit on the leg and twice in the mouth. 2 foot rattler, kids are safe, I am broke, snake is dead.. it was in our backyard.

[chigiy]

Hi Sharon,

OMG, do you know what kind of rattlesnake it was? You guys get those terrible Mojave rattlesnakes down there. I'm glad you're dog is O.K. I'm so sorry it was expensive. Next year I'm getting my dog the rattlesnake vaccine, $30 as compared to $2700. It is two shots the first year and one shot every year thereafter. Good luck.
Your dog is a hero.

[Kim Ratcliff]

Things I loved about your post: #1. How you knew it was a rattler who bit Moondoggie. I tease you about being a mountain chick but you know your shit. #2. The middle picture of Moondoggie. Too cute.
Things that freaked me about your post: #1. The picture of Moondoggie snuggled up, her head resting on a human pillow with brown case. Please don't give me that same pillow next time if I ever sleep over. haha!
Love, Anal Kimmy

[chigiy]

Dear Anal Kimmy,
Kim that was your special pillow, didn't you see the letters KR embroidered on it? Dash stuck it under her head and put my softie-soft blanket over her. It wasn't my idea but it did make a cute pic.

[Dana]

HI! I just randomly stumbled across your blog (I was searching for pictures of rat terriers and cattle dogs) and your dog looks exactly like mine! Do you know what kind of dog you have (breeds?) We got our dog as a stray, and as far as we can tell he is rat terrier/cattle dog.

Thanks!

[chigiy]

Hi Dana,
Although I am not positive, I'm pretty sure that my dog is half cattle dog and half border collie. She was a stray also. I picked her up at the Humane Society.

[jessica]

i am so sorry

[jessica]

i saw a 2 rattlesnakes on the side of my dads apartment it was a kanal

[Michelle]

I just read your story. My dog Cody just got bit by a rattle snake last Saturday here in Arizona. We were out walking him and he got bit by a baby who do not give off a warning rattle. We had to rush him to the emergency clinic 25 minutes away and he had to have 7 antivenin shots !! Yikes! Plus 2 days at the clinic. He was given a 50 50 chance but thankfully he survived but not without a 7,000 dollar vet bill ! Yes we are broke for the next 20 years !

[chigiy]

Michelle,
I'm sorry to hear about you vet bill and glad your dog is O.K. I don't know if you know this, but I was bitten about 11 months after my dog. I was in the hospital for a week and ICU for 3 days, I received 66 vials of anitvenin. The snake didn't rattle until after it bit me. Rattlesnake's first line of defenses is to blend in. Take care and stay away from rattlesnakes.

[Caroline]

My baby puppy was bitten today and like you, I wasn't there to see it. We went through the same process in taking her to the emergency vet clinic and the vet doctors told us that we needed to pay around 2,000$ for treatment. I am not over eighteen, and I don't have a job...my parents are struggling very much right now with money and sadly told me that they could not pay for it. We took her home and now she is resting in her dog house. Unfortunately, I don't see a happy ending in her future.

[chigiy]

Caroline,
Oh No! Where did your dog get bit, what area of her body? How big is she? Is the area swelling? Can you administer lactated ringers (fluid) You can buy it and administer it on your own. It is easy. This will help her a lot. If you have any questions, i would love to help.
Fingers crossed.