This could happen to any of us hiking on a remote trail.
What would you do if you were on a remote trail? Can you think fast on your feet and get your dog back to the car before he collapses? What if you had to walk miles and there was a steep elevation involved?
That's what happened here to this hiker and her dog. This is my worst nightmare. I read through the comments and one person suggested bringing a Fido Pro Airlift which I'd never heard of. Now I own two of them.
It allows you to carry your dog out of a bad situation. This dog was attacked by a Cooperhead.
We're writing about this and sharing this woman's story because it's important to see what she did to save her dog. I think she did all the right things to get him to safety as fast as she could! Thank goodness her dog is ok.
Here's what we learned from her post in a hiking dog forum on Facebook.
I think adrenaline would kick in as I have some CVT skills that are still deep within my memory that I'd refer to you but if you're alone and you have to CARRY your dog then you need to think fast. This happened at Linville Gorge in North Carolina.
"My poor sweet pup was bitten by a copperhead on his face yesterday while hiking in Linville gorge he was only a few feet ahead of me on the trail and I stopped to take a picture of a flower and the next thing I know he's sneezing and pawing at his face. I rushed over to see what got him but saw nothing, he turned and continued up the trail and then his back legs started wobbling and he collapsed! "
She walked with him hoisted onto her shoulders for about 30 minutes. She had to rest for a second and luckily he was able to walk (even if it was wobbly) so they headed to the car which was still miles away and there were 2,000 feet of elevation!
"We finally made it and I went straight to the nearest store and got him some Benadryl then to a vet's office. He was so brave and I was a mess! They did bloodwork and confirmed the type of snake then sent me on my way to the 24-hour vet clinic where I live to stay overnight on iv fluids and antibiotics. The whole terrifying ordeal was absolutely eye-opening. I realized that if he weren't able to start walking on his own it would've taken me till well past dark to carry him out on my own."
This is where I paused and thought about the gear I'd likely have and how I don't think I'd make it in time to save my dogs!
"Overall we were very lucky and the whole situation could have been worse so I'm extremely grateful that God was watching over us and everything turned out ok."
She was so lucky and I'm really glad her pup is ok.
Read this article about what to do if your dog is bitten by a Copperhead.
Copperhead bites are covered a lot by all the Wide Open Media platforms but this is the first time I've seen someone post on Facebook what she did and how it all felt. Snakebites can be very serious but it depends on the species!
There are four types of venomous snakes that roam the United States. Coral snakes are found in wooded, sandy or marshy areas in the South. Water moccasins live in the southeastern states. Copperheads, which vary in color from reddish to golden tan, are found in eastern states. And rattlesnakes live in mountains, prairies, deserts, and beaches - basically everywhere across the country.
What if this happened to your dog? Do you know the types of snakes in your region? Please leave us a comment below!
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