Pets: Topping off wild animal week with rattlesnakes: Yes, they are in southeast Michigan, too

She was calling from animal emergency and was quite sure that her dog had been bitten by a rattlesnake on a hiking trail along the Raisin River in Manchester. She was right.

The problem was that the vets at the clinic had not encountered a case before and were dubious that it was actually a snake bite. Vital time was lost due to unfamiliarity. I want to be clear that this post is not to promote any blame or shame; we were all caught off guard, and that is the point.

What ensued was a frightening game of beat-the-clock and a crash course in snake bite preparedness.

Blood work eventually confirmed that Daisy had indeed been bitten by a Massasauga rattler, a snake that is native to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and, although not common, definitely present in the woods and fields here in the southeast part of our state.

While we scrambled to locate a dose of anti-venom, Daisy's status grew more dire. We called (literally) every vet in the area to find that none of them stocked the anti-venom. We then called the hospitals, who did stock it, but, despite our desperate pleas, said “because of legalities” they could not provide it to us.

It was one of those times when you feel like you are in a slow motion nightmare and need something to happen — right now — but it just can't.

Daisy's face and throat swelled hideously, and she became alarmingly lethargic. Everyone was worried.

Finally an outdated dose of anti-venom was located at the Toledo Zoo, and Daisy's owner rushed down to pick it up (for no small fee, I might add). But, by the time it got to Daisy, the appropriate window of time to administer it had passed, and there was concern on the part of the vets (rightfully so) that giving it to her at that point might further complicate her condition, so it went unused.

Daisy ended up undergoing a blood transfusion and spent a couple of “touch and go” days in the emergency room. She eventually pulled through, but the experience left its mark on all of us. Mostly, it served as an eye-opener to the fact that this is so rare in our neck of the woods, so when it does happen there is no predetermined course of action and very few available resources.

I am not an expert on the subject, so I invite any of our area vets to chime in and offer readers advice on what kind of effective action a pet owner can take in the event of a poisonous snake bite, but here is what I can offer.

• First of all, those of you who like to hike trails and traverse wooded spaces with your dog should be familiar with the topography that is attractive to rattlers and, since a Massasauga rattlesnake's (the only poisonous snake in Michigan) “rattle” is a warning system, you should know what it sounds like. It isn't the classic “chika-chika” that you hear in cowboy movies, it is more of a buzz than a rattle. Think of the sound of a cicada or a loud bee. If you hear this coming from the ground, move away and rein in your dog. Don't start looking for the cicada!
• If your dog jumps back or yelps while sniffing in the grass or brush, cautiously take notice of anything you see moving and then inspect her immediately. Look for tiny drops of blood on her snout, lip or leg. If your dog has short fur, it could be anywhere. Don't think that you have to see two punctures to confirm a snake bite; it is very possible for a snake to hit your dog with one fang.
• If you do suspect a snake bite, head to the vet immediately. Even if it's a false alarm, time is of the essence. Although most dogs don't die from rattlesnake bites, you could save yourself and your dog a lot of trauma and expense by acting quickly.
• If you can wrap the puncture tightly (not on the nose, of course) with a piece of material and keep your dog as calm as possible (meaning that you have to keep your cool too!) it will help keep the venom from spreading throughout your dog's system.
• If you are a believer in homeopathics (which I happen to be, based on personal experience), having a few appropriate remedies on hand as a first course of action is a good idea.
• If you do see a snake, try to keep a mental picture for the sake of identification. From a regional standpoint, what I am talking about is the “Massasauga” in Michigan, but you could be anywhere with your dog and a solid I.D. would help a vet solve the problem of selecting the right medicine.

Anyone who is planning to reside or spend a significant amount of time in a region where there is a considerable population of poisonous snakes should consider “snake-proofing” their dog through training.

Over all of the years that I have spent around dogs and “dog people,” I have never personally known anyone whose dog was attacked by a coyote or a fox. I do know of, now two, snake bite incidents that were perplexing and resulted in a notable health crisis for the dog.

I thought it may be worth mentioning.

While it is important to be aware of the threat from wild animals, a much greater threat to you and your pets are other people and their pets. Wild animals usually do a pretty good job of clearing the way for we humans; we need to be respectful and careful around them.

John Spieser is a professional dog trainer and owner of Dogheart. He can be reached at john@doghearta2.com.