A family of three went hiking along the Centennial Trail in Pennington County. Of the family was Devin Diede, his wife Alex Diede, and their charming Yorkshire Terrier; Bear. The Friday stroll began calmly until the family was caught off-guard by a hostile rattlesnake.
The ordeal occurred near Sheridan Lake where the stealthy snake was nearly stepped on by an unwary Mrs. Diede; instead, the snake bit Bear. The 11-year-old dog bravely took the bite for his parents; afterward, the snake then rattled, clarifying that it was indeed an infamous venomous snake.
Without barking or yelping; Bear kept his composure; fortifying his heroism in the eyes of his parents. Although they couldn’t immediately pick up on his injury, they later noticed that the dog wasn’t putting any weight on one of his front legs. Subsequently, they sped to the closest veterinarian clinic, 20 miles away.
After the tedious hour and a half journey to the clinic, Bear was unable to walk; fortunately, the practitioners hastily attended to him. Beginning with a blood transfusion, Bear stayed at the vet overnight. After 24 hours he was able to reunite with his family; returning home with a battle scar of the snake’s puncture.
Devin Diede
The infamous prairie rattlesnake is one of many venomous snakes that can be a threat to you and your dog’s life. In dealing with a snake bite look for these symptoms in your dog:
- Sudden weakness and collapsing, followed by your pet getting up normally.
- Diarrhea and/or vomiting
- Unsteadiness/weakness in their hind legs
- Excessive saliva, drooling or frothing in their mouth
Afterwards; get a hold of veterinarian assistance.
Ensure that you call the clinic ahead of your arrival so that the team can make the necessary preparations to treat your dog as soon as you arrive. Most dogs can survive a snake bite if they are attended to immediately.
Following the call to the veterinary clinic, if possible, perform first aid/emergency treatment to reduce the effects of the venom. If you can see the bite wound, rinse the wound with water to remove some of the venom. If your dog isn’t breathing, call the veterinary clinic for instructions for how to administer CPR.
Remember to keep calm; our dogs can sense panic, which can cause them to panic as well. Adding to the fact that an increase in stress levels might cause the venom to be circulated in the body more quickly.
Feature Image Source: Devin Diede