Connecticut man speaks out after dogs attacked by rattlesnake

By Christian Colón and Evan Sobol

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    GLASTONBURY, Connecticut (WFSB) — Two dogs in Glastonbury were attacked by a rattlesnake.

The owner jumped in to try and save his pups.

Luckily, he rushed them to care.

Those two dogs and the owner are doing ok.

The man told Eyewitness News this happened last week when his dogs were playing in his yard when all of the sudden they started barking. That’s when he knew something wasn’t right.

Playtime turned bloody for 3-year-old Tanner and 10-year-old Listo when a timber rattlesnake showed up.

“I went out there I saw this timber rattler all ready to strike. All coiled up in striking positions and I used my cane to try and get him away but I think they have been gotten before so I screamed for my wife to get out there with a lease and we brought them right in,” said Bob Murray.

Luckily Bob says he heard his dogs barking so he went to see what was happening. After making the snake go away, he started calling local hospitals.

“I knew we had not much time to lose. I put one person on the phone calling Connecticut. I went on the phone calling tuft in Massachusetts cause that’s where our first dog went. They had no venom. The other person called back saying Pieper had it,” said Bob.

Bob knew his dogs needed anti venom and Pieper Veterinary in Middletown was the closest hospital with it.

“We give them that to try and slow down the progression of the venom. And the effects it has both locally and systematically,” says said Dr. Matthew Turner, Veterinary Criticalist at Pieper Veterinary.

Turner says these dogs are lucky to be alive.

“One of the dogs actually had pretty significant swelling that went down to his throat. In which we had to help the dog breath because it was so significantly,” says Turner.

Turner says many pets end up getting killed. Rattlesnake bite symptoms usually progress very quickly, but with the antivenom the swelling was controlled and tonight the dogs are recovering.

“Get away from the snake. Get your pet away from the snake. You don’t want to become a victim yourself. In addition to that, call hospitals you plan on bringing your pet is very important because having antivenom in stock is sometimes difficult to do,” Turner said.

DEEP officials say the only two venomous snake species in Connecticut are the timber rattlesnake and the northern copperhead. Both are endangered species, so if they feel threatened they will attack.

“You have to have the anti venom available. You need to know where to go and you have to get there quickly,” says Turner.

Turner said if your dog gets bitten by a snake, try and find a hospital with anti-venom. If you get bitten by a snake, call 911 immediately.

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