The other day my dog who is part Aussie Shepherd and St. Bernard, and 100 percent fearless explorer and adventurer, stuck his head in a pile of sticks that looked like a beaver dam in the section of my yard near a ton of trees and bushes and, thank goodness, far from my house.
I watched curiously as his head disappeared into the pile and stayed there.
He then yelped and barked loudly while his head was still out of view.
Find out what's happening in Saratogawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The next day he was lethargic and slept all day even in the morning when he would normally beg to go on a walk. I thought about taking him to the vet thinking something bit him but two days later he was back to normal.
He’s still fine now. It turns out it was a rat house which is now gone thanks to my brave husband and his trusty shovel.
Find out what's happening in Saratogawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In any case, it got me thinking about canine first aid when it comes to wild things that bite.
Rats attract snakes and one time I found a creepy snake head in the pool filter so they must be around.
As luck would have it, while I was an adult chaperone at scout camp last week, I was able to attend Snake and Spider Bite class given by a wilderness medic named Kevin McCartney.
McCartney, no relation to Paul, gave us seven useful tips about snake attacks. Here they are.
1. The likelihood of dying from a snake bite is low. He said only 5.5 people in the U.S. died last year from poisonous snake attacks.
2. The dangerous snake in Northern California is the rattlesnake. They are all venomous but when they strike, they may choose to not release venom. Venom is apparently a precious commodity. Venom is nasty. It can mess you up. Here are details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattlesnake
3. Rattlesnakes like warm weather so you will not likely see them when it’s cold at night.
4. A ton of dogs are probably bitten without the owners’ knowledge. Some dogs don’t have reactions and some snakes don’t release venom.
5. Rattlesnakes don’t like going after big creatures. They normally only strike if you accidentally put your hand or foot on one. He knew of a boy scout who sat on a group of rocks and put his hand down. A snake was between the rocks and bit his hand. The average snake victims are males 17 to 27 who are drunk and females 45 to 60 who are gardening.
6. If you come across a snake on a hiking trail, gently scoot if off trail with a big long stick. Don’t go off trail to go around it because more often than not, there is another snake or group of snakes on the side. I’m curious to know if I will be brave enough to do this, say if I’m hiking at our own Castle Rock Park or strolling at Hakone Gardens. Can’t I just turn around and go back to where I came from?
7. If you suspect your dog has been bitten by a snake, he recommends the following treatment: calm and immobilize Fido; give him Benadryl; have the vet administer vaccine and/or anti-venom.
Because we have so many Black Widows in Saratoga, I will blog about them next.
###
Michelle McIntyre, who has been a resident of Saratoga since 1998, is the president of MMC high tech public relations, the parliamentarian and social media chair for Sixth District PTA, a Boy Scout merit badge counselor for journalism and communications, a director for the Silicon Valley International Association of Business Communicators, and on the executive team of TEDxSanJoseCA, which features talks that inspire and ideas worth spreading.
