A Centre County couple hiking with their new puppy got quite the surprise on Friday morning, when a rattlesnake basking in the sun attacked.
Meera is a 13 week old border collie. She was jumping over rocks along the Mid-State Trail when the snake bit her elbow.
“It was just like a race against the clock,” Erik Ring, Meera’s owner, said.
Ring and Ellen Meyer said sheer panic rushed over them Friday morning, about two miles into their hike in Rothrock State Park.
“She was not ever four feet away from us, she was jumping on the rocks and she jumped off of a ledge and we heard the rattlesnake go off,” Meyer said. “We saw her jump in the air.”
Ring said he grabbed Meera, saw she was bleeding, fashioned a tourniquet and started running.
“As we were running, I had Ellen call Metzger Animal Hosptial,” he said.
Dr. Jessica Alexander helped treat Meera at Metzger Animal Hospital. She said it’s hard to tell if venom was released in a snake bite, but she gave Meera antivenin. She credits the couple’s quick thinking for saving the dog’s life.
“She was very, very painful. Her elbow was very swollen,” Dr. Alexander said. “The closer the bite wound is to the head and if there was an injection of venom, that’s the most crucial because it’s closest to the brain.”
It’s important to get your pet into a veterinarian clinic or hospital as fast as you can so they can administer antivenin. Dr. Alexander recommends calling ahead to make sure they have it. She does not recommend using a tourniquet, as the swelling can be too severe.
The couple is glad to see Meera back on her feet. They recommend others get their pets vaccinated with a once-a-year rattlesnake booster vaccine if you plan to be outdoors this summer.
“It gives you more time if you’re in a secluded area or you’re further away,” Meyer said.
Meera is expected to make a full recovery and the couple said they will continue exploring the Centre region with her. You can follow Meera’s adventures on Instagram.