Snakes can strike without warning, posing a danger to anyone who crosses their path. A Mesa del Sol couple experienced that danger firsthand when a hidden rattlesnake bit their dog, Zinc. The bite led to a 12-hour hospital stay and a frightening recovery process for the beloved pet.
Zinc is a happy, energetic pup on a good day. But after the worst walk of her life, she looked like a different dog.
“She’s just walking along, puts her head into the bush and bam she gets bit right on the nose,” Jordan Montoya said via KOB 4.
The pup’s curiosity brought her face-to-face with a hidden rattlesnake.
“We were very worried,” Montoya said. “She was breathing very heavily.”
Zinc’s nose swelled to the size of a softball. Her owners rushed her to an emergency veterinarian, where she received two rounds of antivenom.
“About four days later she started deteriorating again,” Nicolas Pezzullo, Zinc’s dad, said.
The dog stopped eating and drinking. Fortunately, prescribed antibiotics helped her begin to recover.
“She’s pretty much completely back to health,” Pezzullo said.
What to Do If You Encounter a Snake
Zinc isn’t the only one to come face-to-face with a snake recently. Residents have reported more snake sightings across the area.
“They sure are fast!” reptile wrangler Bob Myers said as he handled a coachwhip snake.
Myers, owner of the Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, caught the snake.
“Between you and me, I’d rather have a snake in my garage than a nest of rodents,” he said.
Earlier this week, an Albuquerque woman called Myers after a snake became tangled in her garden netting.
“Some of the snakes are desperate, like some of the mammals and birds, and they’ll find their way into people’s backyard,” Myers said.
Despite the recent sightings, Myers said hot weather has actually kept snakes less active this season. They still search for water, however, and often retreat to cool, shady areas.
When asked what people should do if they encounter a rattlesnake, Myers offered simple advice.
“Don’t panic, don’t run, don’t scream and run around in circles,” he said.
Montoya echoed that advice.
“I think it’s important for everyone to be cautious,” she said.
Zinc ultimately made a full recovery. Veterinarians told her owners there is only a short window to administer antivenom after a rattlesnake bite.
Call 311 if you need someone to relocate a snake. If you’d like to have a snake rescued, call the Rattlesnake Museum.
