IGNACIO – As Pam Leisle led her Parson Russell terrier Razzle into the sparsely vegetated dirt grounds of the Sky Ute Fairgrounds, a rattlesnake sounded its early warning system. As Razzle neared the serpent, the snake’s body began to coil and the rattling intensified, growing in volume and frequency. Just as the snake began to lunge, a shrill yelp pierced the air and the terrier retreated, surprised and dismayed.
Durango Kennel Club, in partnership with professional dog trainer Terry Chandler, hosted an encounter-based dog avoidance rattlesnake training Saturday. The $100 course exposes dogs to live rattlesnakes with the intention of teaching them to fear the serpents.
To prepare the snakes, Chandler says he clips their fangs and milks their venom.
“Dogs get bit by rattlesnakes because they’re curious. In our clinic, (we) replace curiosity with fear,” he said. “The next time they come across one, they’re not curious; they’ve seen it, they’ve smelled it, they’ve heard it. They know it’s dangerous and so they get away.”
During the hourlong session, each dog is exposed to a rattlesnake twice: once to teach it to fear the snake, and once to acquaint the owner with their pet’s warning signal.
In the first encounter, the snake is placed in the open, allowing the dog to come across it as it would on a hike or in a yard. When the snake strikes, Chandler lightly stimulates the dog with a shock collar to give it the impression that the snake is the thing that inflicted pain.
Class participant Marcy LePique said both of her dogs approached the snake on the first encounter, driven by curiosity.
“They both got stricken immediately,” she said. “This is really good – they’re having real strong negative reinforcement. Now when they go up to a (rattle)snake, they’re afraid, and I’m glad they’re afraid of it.”
The second time the dog is exposed to the snake, the serpent is moved to a new location. Chandler calls this encounter the “retest.”
This time, he says, it is crucial owners observe their dogs’ behavior.
“Some dogs will jump up on the owner and kind of scratch at them, other dogs will just turn and go the other direction at a rapid pace. Some dogs will sit down and bark,” he said. “Each dog reacts different.”
Once an owner recognizes their canine’s warning signal, they can associate it with the presence of a rattlesnake.
“Someone from my last clinic said their dog was barking in the backyard – they remembered that’s what it did in the training,” he said. “They’d lived in the desert for 25 years (and) never had a (rattle)snake on their property – they found two in their backyard.”
Leisle said Razzle was bitten by a rattlesnake six weeks ago. She said the class is much better than the alternative.
It took Leisle about an hour to notice swelling in Razzle’s face, at which point she took him to the vet. When the vet determined the inflammation was the result of a rattlesnake bite, Razzle was given antivenin.
Claire Lodahl, a doctor of veterinary medicine at Kindness Animal Hospital, said the protocol for treating a dog that has been bitten by a rattlesnake includes an intravenous catheterization, administration of antivenin, IV fluid support and blood work.
She said dogs that come in can display a variety of symptoms, including restricted breathing, and excessive and rapid loss of skin, swelling and circulation problems.
Rattlesnake venom attacks red blood cells, nullifying their ability to transport oxygen and disrupting circulation, said Don Schwartz, a retired veterinarian.
Antivenin works by binding to and neutralizing the venom, Schwartz said. It prevents further damage but does not reverse any damage that has already been done.
Depending on the amount of antivenin needed and the duration of stay, Lodahl said treatment can cost an owner several thousand dollars.
Leisle said it cost her $3,800 to save her terrier. She enrolled both her dogs in the rattlesnake avoidance course.
“My goal is to avoid more snake bites,” she said. “The $100 fee for this is way worth it.”
Chandler warns that veterinary treatment and the administration of antivenin is not guaranteed to save a dog that has been bitten.
“I was out training in the field in Arizona, and I had a 6-month-old puppy that got bit by a rattlesnake,” he said. “I walked less than 250 yards, I put the dog in my arms to keep it calm. That 6-month-old puppy went into a death thrash in my arms and died.”
Once a dog has been bitten, Lodahl said it is a race against time.
“If you think your dog has been bit, immediately rush to the vet, no matter what,” she said.
Rattlesnake vaccines are available for dogs but they do not block the venom from attacking red blood cells. Instead, it slows the process, potentially buying more time for treatment. Regardless of vaccination status, Lodahl said antivenin and a quick response for getting the dog treatment is critical.
The treatment is prevention, Chandler said.
“Every time someone asks me, ‘Is this going to be uncomfortable to my dog?’ I say, ‘Well, it will be a little uncomfortable, but it’s a whole lot less than watching a dog go into a death thrash and die from a rattlesnake bite.’”
lveress@durangoherald.com
A previous version of this story gave an incorrect job title for Don Schwartz, who is a retired veterinarian, and Claire Lodahl, who is a doctor of veterinary medicine.
