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CAPITAL JOURNAL (Pierre, S Dakota) 07 July 06 Teaching dogs the dangers of snakes (Cindy Lea Bahe)
Pierre: Clutching the rattlesnake firmly in his hands, he said “We’ve got a bit of a problem.” Those are not the words you want to hear when dealing with a poisonous snake.
Earlier, Steve Thompson had sewn the snake’s mouth together for precautionary measures but it had snapped the stitches open. Still maintaining a firm grasp on the rattlesnake’s head, he carefully stitched the mouth together again as the snake’s body rapidly coiled around his arm and shoulder. Thompson doesn’t think of his side job as anything of a danger, but there aren’t many people who could accomplish this feat much less even consider doing it. Thompson is also wheelchair-bound; while most people could run during a fight or flight moment, a quick flight isn’t an option for him.
Thompson has been snake-proofing dogs for 10 to 15 years now. “The locals had been doing it for a long time,” he said, “so I started doing it myself.” Snake-proofing is conducted mainly on hunting dogs but farmers or ranchers snake-proof their dogs as well. Some dogs need the training once, but other dogs are brought back year after year. “People have a lot of love and sometimes money invested in their dogs. The last thing they want is for their four-legged friend to face the wrath of a rattlesnake bite,” he added.
The snake-proofing technique begins by pulling fangs from the rattlesnake, which will eventually grow back.
“I finally got smart and started putting them in the refrigerator beforehand so they aren’t so quick to react,” Thompson said. “Snakes are cold-blooded and will slow down in cooler temperatures.”
The snake is then let loose on the ground. A shock collar and leash is placed on the designated dog. As the owner leads it around the snake at a close but safe distance, the dog learns the sight, smell and sound of the rattlesnake.
Usually, an untrained dog will be curious and investigate the reptile. When the dog is within the snake’s striking distance, Thompson triggers a signal from the shock collar remote.
The dog affiliates the pulse with the danger and retreats from the snake. Sometimes, it only takes one attempt; other dogs take a few exposures. “While some people think using a shock collar is harsh, it’s a minor compared to what the dog would go through if bit by a rattlesnake,” he said.
“One year in Lyman County, a dog got bit and was dead within 15 minutes,” he said. “This is quite rare, but it can happen. Usually most dogs live if they have been bitten by a rattlesnake. The area will swell up, turn black & blue and they will get very ill. I haven’t had any of my dogs get bit during snake-proofing but it has happened before to others.” Fortunately, some veterinarians now have preventative drugs for dogs. If a dog gets bit, the venom won’t affect the dog as much and the chance of death is greatly reduced.
Thompson has never been bit by a rattlesnake while handling them, but one year an educational presentation became a scary experience. “Once I was giving a demonstration to kids at Medicine Creek County School on how snakes strike,” he said. “As the rattlesnake was before me, I walked closely past it so they could see it strike, yet it didn’t reach me. Walking by it again, it didn’t strike, probably because it was familiar with me the second time. However, when I waved my foot the snake considered the motion a danger and it struck me right below the top of my shoe. Some of the children thought I was going to die. Luckily, it didn’t penetrate my skin because it had to go through my jeans, the shoe and a sock. Being confident but careless was a learning experience for me and I never did it again.”
Thompson states a comforting fact that only 1 percent of all people have a chance of getting bit by a rattlesnake. Out of that number only 1 percent will die. “People have a greater chance of getting struck by lightening,” he said. “Rattlesnakes are not aggressive and they won’t run after you. They will strike if they are cornered or surprised and movement scares them. If you encounter a rattlesnake, the best thing to do is leave it alone – don’t agitate it and don’t jump or run.”
What do you do if you get bit by a rattlesnake? The best treatment is to get to the nearest hospital as soon as possible and call medical personnel to let them know of your situation. You will know in 30 minutes if venom has gotten in your system because things will drastically change. The area will swell up -sometimes several times its normal size, it will turn black and blue, and it will hurt. If you are in a remote area or cannot get to a hospital in a half hour, you should place a band (not a tourniquet) between the affected area and the heart. It’s only recommended that you use the cut & suck & spit method if done properly. If you can scratch the surface of the skin so the venom bleeds out that would be helpful but only do this if you cannot get to a hospital. Human saliva has more bacteria than most animals so there is a risk of infection from that alone. The biggest risk is from this method is, if an artery is cut, you could bleed to death.
Readers can get more information and view photos at Thompson’s personal snake website: www.sdsnake.com/rat
Teaching dogs the dangers of snakes

sheesh...
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It's what you learn AFTER you know it all that counts!

Terry Phillip
Curator of Reptiles
Black Hills Reptile Gardens
Rapid City, SD.

www.reptilegardens.com

Yikes indeed! ~~Greg~~

I'd like to stitch his lips together and see how he likes it....

Al
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Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

so many things could be said