🐕 Bitten by 🐍 Rattlesnake - Dog Reacts

Great Dane, Sampson, bitten yesterday after accosting a displaced baby Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, which possibly hitched a ride into the town proper inside a wooden prefab storage building that had been delivered 2 days before. I was running errands when called by an acquaintance who used to do rehab work, who asked me to come remove the snake. It is very unusual and almost unheard of to have a rattlesnake this far inside of town, in the neighborhoods/avenues, and not just on the periphery of the city limits. At first, I suspected there must be siblings in the area, given his age, going under the belief that he was born in the area. It was only after reviewing the video for editing that I first heard the part that she had asked if he could have hitched a ride in the new storage building that had been delivered a couple of days before. That does explain where he may have come from very well. Once I actually heard that part, I am no longer very concerned that there are more of them. It's most likely a "one off", because baby snakes in their first Winter don't yet have a hibernation den selected, and they just poke around independently and try to get lucky and make it through that first Winter when they are inexperienced. Therefore, it's most likely that he is a single if he came inside the prefab building. In 17 years that I have been here, I have never responded to a snake call that actually turned out to be a venomous native snake, this far inside of the city limits and residential neighborhoods, which are miles from the nearest typically suitable habitat for rattlesnakes. In the neighborhoods which border undeveloped land or on newly developed land, yes. But not in these neighborhoods well inside town that have been neighborhoods since the 1940s or 50s.

The decision to not give Sampson a rattlesnake antivenin under the circumstances was proper. Those antibody based therapies are expensive, and there can be more harsh adverse reactions to the antivenin than to a slight envenomation reaction from the actual snake bite. Proper protocol is to wait and see how bad the inflammation and other responses to the bite are, before administering antivenin. Sampson didn't need it. However, I do think a $400 bill during normal business hours for simple NSAID and antibiotics is completely outrageous, but they are the "proudest" (read highest) veterinary clinic in the area, from all I have ever seen. That's not the dog's owner saying this, it's 100% my own opinion. I did advise that a dose of serrapeptase proteolytic enzyme supplement to Sampson may be beneficial, as serrapeptase selectively breaks down unnatural proteins in circulation, and rattlesnake venom is largely composed of peptides (building blocks of proteins). I also give special credit to Sarah for calling me instead of killing the snake for causing her a $400 vet bill, or calling animal control on it, which would have been the same thing, because they would have killed him. Baby rattlesnake will be fed, hydrated, treated humanely, and offered an alternative hibernaculum for the Winter, far away from the city and developed neighborhoods. Being that he is first year baby, he doesn't really yet have an imprinted home range, so he should do well if placed elsewhere.

The support of donors helps to keep doors open and one more animal to be saved. 🐍 or 🐕 Could you become a monthly hero for animals? Just $20? $50? This rescue has an awesome core group of long time donors, but they're only a handful, who are covering the demands placed on this rescue by many who don't donate when they ask for services. And yet, they can't cover everything. The rescue losses $500 or more every month in expenses that have to be eaten, or rolled over into the next month's debts. We need just a few more regular donors, and I do mean just a few. That's all. This rescue is funded entirely on donations. There are no government grants. No corporate sponsors. Just myself, and less than a dozen regular donors who believe that these animals need help. Your support helps keep the doors open and one more animal to be saved. 🐤 🐍 🐢 🦎 🦆 🐇 🐁 🐟 🐖 🕊 You can help by making a donation today.

PayPal: wfreptilerescue@gmail.com

Donate without a PayPal account at this checkout: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=WFReptileRescue@gmail.com

#cuteandfunnyanimals #rattlesnake #snakebite #dogbittenbysnake #dogbite #antivenin a#ntivenom #rattlesnakebite