LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A venomous coral snake bit Anna Wallace's dog Zoe Friday morning when she was out for a walk.
Wallace captured the rare snake and rushed Zoe to Specialized Veterinarian Services in Fort Myers.
“Around 5 p.m. she kind of went downhill fast. The owner was kind of frantic, upset. Knowing that it was a coral snake, we had her admitted to our intensive care unit,” said Paige Davidson, one of the vet technicians who cared for Zoe.
Davidson said it can take 8-12 hours for the venom to take effect. She said they noticed Zoe had muscle weakness and trouble breathing, common symptoms of a venomous bite. And hard to treat for dogs.
“There is an anti-venom on the market, but it’s very difficult to get a hold of. Pfizer, who was manufacturing it, is no longer manufacturing it, so it’s a very limited supply,” said Davidson.
There are alternative treatments, but the chances of survival are slim.
“So, we tend to just treat symptomatically. So that usually means having the pet on a ventilator for several days. And then there’s associated risks with that like pneumonia. They have to have a feeding tube, because they lose the ability to swallow,” said Davidson.
And rather than let Zoe suffer any longer, Wallace decided to euthanize her.
Davidson said while bringing in the snake helped doctors identify the problem and treat Zoe right away, it was just as dangerous for Wallace.
If you spot a snake in your backyard, your first instinct may be to pick it up and remove it yourself, but doctors say, don’t! Instead, they say call Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FWC as soon as you can. If bitten, the risk for humans could be just as high as the risk for animals.
“It would also be an intensive care situation for a human,” said Davidson.
Davidson said a bite from these venomous snakes can be deadly for humans too. But there’s more access to anti-venom for humans than animals. She added the key to survival for animals and humans is to get treated right away. And the next time you head outside, keep your dog close.
“Use short leashes. Just be really diligent to keep them out of holes in the ground. Be really careful where they’re sniffing around,” said Davidson.
Zoe was six years old.
