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2 dogs bitten in face by Timber rattlesnake in Glastonbury backyard

Two dogs were bitten in the face by a poisonous Timber rattlesnake in a Glastonbury backyard, officials say.

News 12 Staff

Aug 22, 2022, 11:46 AM

Updated 906 days ago

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Two dogs were bitten in the face by a poisonous Timber rattlesnake in a Glastonbury backyard, officials say.
The incident happened at a home in Glastonbury last week, Pieper Memorial Veterinary Center wrote in a Facebook post.  
A 3-year-old Vizsla and a 10-year-old Miniature Pinscher mix discovered the snake and decided to investigate before the serpent bit both the dogs, officials say.
The dogs, Tanner and Listo, were rushed to Pieper Memorial Veterinary Center Animal Hospital in Middletown where they were immediately started on medications to stabilize them and were given antivenom.
Listo’s face and neck were swelling so rapidly that it was closing off his windpipe, and he underwent an emergency tracheostomy to help him breathe.
Timber rattlesnakes are native but endangered in the state of Connecticut and can be found in northwestern Litchfield County as well as in the Meshomasic Forest in East Hampton, Glastonbury, Marlborough, and Portland.
Their venom causes severe swelling and anaphylaxis and is almost always fatal to dogs and cats without fast, aggressive medical care.
Officials at Pieper Memorial say most hospitals do not carry antivenom, and pet owners should always be aware when out with their pets during the summer.
The dogs were being monitored for several days after the incident.