Nibbles (a.k.a. Nippy, Nipster, The Nibbles), an eight-year-old Chihuahua, was transported to an emergency room hospital for animals last Sunday morning following a snake bite.
It was a regular day. Nibbles had gone outside to take care of business, he came inside and ate.
His owner, Gilda Morales, said he came in quietly and began swaying, and as soon as she picked him up, he passed out. She gave him Benadryl because she thought it was an allergic reaction to new dog food.
Then his left eye shut and she knew it was a bite of some kind. The hospital immediately took him and confirmed it was a snake bite and that he would need antivenin, possibly more than one vial because of his size, which means that the venom is more concentrated in small dogs.
He was placed on IV Fentanyl, a powerful opiate narcotic, which is necessary because of the intense pain from snake bites. The vets had a rough time because they could not get his bleeding factors to where they needed to be, resulting in him needing a plasma transfusion as well.
Had Nibbles not received emergency treatment, he would have not survived the ordeal. As with humans, dogs require anti-venom to have any chance of survival.
He is doing better, but he is not himself and he is still in severe pain and lethargic. Nibbles will hopefully make a complete recovery. Pet owners should be vigilant!
