My dog was bitten by a rattlesnake: What I learned

Sixth rattlesnake/dog bite this week alone, vet told me

Ziggy on a much better day, sporting his normal face

This post does not really fit the theme of this Substack but you know what? Nobody will be mad about that, and the information may be useful. Which is my ultimate goal—to share useful information.

Yesterday, a rattlesnake bit my dog Ziggy in the face during a hike. He’s recovering now, thanks to fast action and expert vet care, but I wanted to share what I’ve learned—because a few articles I read years ago helped me stay calm and act quickly when it happened to us.

It was a cool, cloudy May day, after days of rain and even some snow. We were on a steep, rocky trail (Pipeline, near the water tank) around 11:30 a.m. when Ziggy nosed into a bush a few feet away from me. I heard him cry out, then heard that unmistakable rattle. First the yelp, then the rattle: there was no warning. His nose was bleeding. I didn’t see the snake, but I knew what had happened.

I didn’t try to carry him—we had a steep descent, and I had another dog with me—but I kept thinking, “His airway is going to swell shut.” We ran back to the car as fast as I could run. This is not standard protocol, I learned—see more below. Ziggy seemed fine on the way down, even fine when we arrived at Ridgeview Vet about 20 minutes later. But as soon as we walked through the door, the swelling began.

“What the actual hell is happening.” Ziggy at Mosaic Animal ER in Santa Fe, about 6 hours after the bite

The vet gave him antivenom (also known as “antivenin”) immediately and started IV fluids. He was clearly uncomfortable but stayed alert, breathing normally, and didn’t show signs of shock. But because there’s no overnight vet in Los Alamos, I transferred him to the Santa Fe emergency clinic (Mosaic) as a precaution.

At the animal ER, they saw clear fang marks and suspect he may have been bitten twice—once on the face, possibly once on the chest. They said it looked like a large snake judging by the distance between each fang mark, but possibly it was a “cool weather bite,” meaning the snake might have been sluggish and not delivered a full venom load. Ziggy’s bloodwork looked good, and they were cautiously optimistic.

The vet at Mosaic said it was the sixth rattlesnake bite they have seen this week.

On our way from one vet to another—he was miserable, but breathing well. The shaved patch you see on his muzzle is where one fang went in. The other went in right at the bridge of his nose. (The leg bandage is from his IV)

What I think I did right

• I know what a rattlesnake sounds like and didn’t wait to see if it “got worse.”

• I knew where the nearest vet was with antivenom and drove straight there.

• I didn’t try to be a hero by carrying a 55-lb dog down a cliff trail, risking injury to both of us.

Standard advice says to carry the dog if you can and keep the bite below the heart to slow venom spread. But we were on a steep rocky trail, and I had another dog with me. I could carry Ziggy very slowly—or get him to the vet quickly. I chose speed. We made it to the vet in 20 minutes, and this strategy seemed to work. Every situation is different, and you’ll need to make the safest, fastest choice you can in the moment. If your dog is small, you are strong, the terrain is forgiving, or you have help, carry them. But if you can’t, don’t freeze—just move with purpose and get help fast.

What else saved us: friends

I can’t recommend this enough: Have friends. Call on them. I called my friend Angie as I was running downhill—she’s a doctor and a dog person, but more importantly, I knew she’d stay calm. I could not call around looking for antivenom and run full tilt at the same time: I needed someone who could take over the logistics, because my own system was overloaded. Angie made the vet calls, found one with antivenom, and told them I was coming. By the time we arrived, they were ready. That made all the difference.

Another friend watched the second dog for me. Yet another dropped everything, left work, and drove with me to the emergency vet in Santa Fe. I didn't hesitate to ask, and they didn’t hesitate to help—just as I would for them. Other friends rallied for us in other ways: emotional support, physical support, messages, love. My neighbors brought Ziggy some steak. 😭

If you’re reading this and thinking you’d “hate to impose,” I get it. But in a true emergency, your friends are your backup system. Use them. That’s what the good ones want.

What I wish I had known or done

• That rattlesnakes can be active even after days of cold rain. Everyone I spoke to was surprised they were out

• I should have taken his collar off as soon as possible—especially with a face bite

• That swelling can be delayed—it didn’t start until 20+ minutes after the bite

• That a rattlesnake-bite vaccine exists (but it may not be very effective)

• That aversion training exists (but for nervous dogs like Ziggy, it can backfire)

How rattlesnake bites work, and why speed matters

While the techs stabilized Ziggy, the vet came out to explain how rattlesnake bites work. I really did not want to sit and listen at that moment, but she wanted me to be very clear on what to expect and why it’s so important to get treatment fast. So, I’m passing on what I learned. People get bitten, too: everyone in rattlesnake country needs to know this.

Rattlesnake venom is nasty stuff. It contains a mix of enzymes, proteins, and toxins that:

• Damage tissue (leading to swelling, bruising, and sometimes tissue death, aka “necrosis”)

• Disrupt blood clotting (causing internal bleeding or excessive bruising)

• Affect the cardiovascular system, potentially causing shock

• In some cases, affect the nervous system, leading to weakness or trouble breathing

These effects don’t always show up right away. That’s why dogs can seem OK after the bite and then crash later—especially if the venom starts interfering with their ability to clot blood or maintain blood pressure. In Ziggy’s case, he seemed fine for 20 minutes, then the swelling started.

Plotting his revenge on the dangernoodle

Antivenom works by neutralizing the venom toxins, but it’s most effective when given early. It can’t undo tissue damage that’s already occurred, but it can stop it from spreading. Some dogs need more than one vial, depending on the severity of the bite and their response.

The vet warned me that even after treatment, complications can still arise:

• Delayed bleeding

• Swelling that impairs breathing

• Tissue death near the bite site

• Infection

• And in rare cases, organ damage or clotting disorders that emerge hours later

That’s why they kept Ziggy overnight, and why it’s so important to have your dog monitored closely for at least 24 hours post-bite.

Advice to other dog owners

• Know where your emergency vet is before you need it

• Act fast, even if your dog seems fine at first

• Don’t assume weather makes you safe from snakes

• Get educated and prepare as best you can—but don’t beat yourself up when nature surprises you

I’ll update once we’re past the 48-hour mark. But I already know I want to thank the vet staff in both Los Alamos and Santa Fe who treated Ziggy like their own dog. And I want other hikers to know: snakes don’t care what the weather is. Be ready anyway.

Have you been through a snakebite or other animal emergency? What helped? What do you wish you’d known earlier?