Attack On Glastonbury Dogs Shows Venomous Snakes Are In CT: Hospital

GLASTONBURY, CT — A snake attack on dogs in Glastonbury had what officials at an emergency veterinary clinic termed a "happy ending," but it also served as an example of what they can do in Connecticut, they said.

Pieper Memorial Veterinary Center, a 24-hour emergency animal hospital and specialty clinic based in Middletown, posted the tale on its Facebook page last week.

The incident involved a timber rattlesnake and Tanner, a 3-year old Vizsla, and Listo, a 10-year old Miniature Pinscher mix, according to the hospital. They were were outside in their yard when they found a snake and "decided to investigate."

Their owner heard a rattling noise ran to get them, but the snake had already bitten both dogs on their faces.

Tanner and Listo were rushed to our Pieper's Middletown emergency facility, where they were immediately placed on medications to stabilize them and were given anti-venom medicine, hospital officials said.

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, hospital officials said.

Over the next several days both dogs stayed at the hospital for "around-the-clock monitoring and treatment" while fighting through the after-effects of the snake venom, Pieper officials said. The severe swelling slowly began to fade, and eventually both dogs were able to return to their family, they added.

"It was an extremely lucky outcome," hospital officials said. "Huge thanks to Tanner and Listo's family for their quick thinking and doing everything they can, and to our amazing emergency and critical care teams for their hard work that helped save the lives of these two sweet pups."

According tp the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, timber rattlesnakes are native to the Nutmeg State, but endangered here. They can be found found in the northwestern part of Litchfield County and the Meshomasic Forest, which stretches from East Hampton, to Glastonbury to Marlborough to Portland, officials said.

Their venom causes severe swelling and anaphylaxis and is almost always fatal to dogs and cats without fast, aggressive medical care, Pieper officials said.

"Most hospitals do not carry anti-venom medication, so always be aware when out with your pets during the summer. We see snake bites every year, and not all dogs are as lucky as Tanner and Listo," they added. "Snakes are an important part of the ecosystem, so it’s important to give them space so we can co-exist peacefully."

Photos of the dogs can be seen here on the hospital's Facebook page.

It's not the first time the snakes were located in Glastonbury. Almost a year to the date in 2019, a pair if timber rattlers was relocated from a yard in Glastonbury on Tuesday, police said back then.

An animal control officer was called to a Mountainview Road at about noon. Two timber rattlesnakes were in the back yard, police said.