JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A family’s dog is recovering after being bitten by a rattlesnake in Northwest Jacksonville.
James Geus said he was walking his 1-year-old yellow Labrador retriever named Addi along a dirt trail in his neighborhood when they had a run-in with a feisty rattlesnake.
“She jumped back,” Geus said. “Then I noticed she was bleeding from the snout.”
Geus said the closest emergency animal hospital stocked with anti-venom and open on a Sunday was 45 minutes away.
He rushed Addi to the animal hospital where she needed three doses of anti-venom.
Poor pup 🐶 Addi, a 1-year-old yellow Labrador, was bitten by a rattlesnake in Northwest Jacksonville. The dog’s owner is sharing Addi’s story in hopes of saving other pets, at 5:15 on CBS47/FOX30 @ActionNewsJax. pic.twitter.com/WEIYc1077C
— Christy Turner (@ChristyANJax) January 13, 2020
Aside from a swollen face and fatigue, Geus said Addi is in good spirits.
Geus said he wants to warn others to be aware.
“We’ve been here our whole life. You get complacent. People don’t realize how close danger could be,” Geus said.
He said he also wants to get the word out that he learned there’s a rattlesnake vaccine for dogs. Geus said they’re going to look into it for Addi.
Veterinarians said even if your dog is vaccinated, you still need to seek immediate emergency care if they are bitten by a rattlesnake.
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