Articulate Animals Blog, Kelly Krueger, Animal Communicator

Animal Communicator Kelly Krueger puts voice to your pet's thoughts, needs, and emotions.

Posts Tagged snake

Household Dangers for Pets

Aug 4

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Frequently Asked Animal Questions, Health & Well Being for Pets | No Comments

I have a few posts discussing dangers for our pets: snakes, poisonous mushrooms, and hazards around the holidays with ribbons, ornaments, Halloween candy, and toxic seasonal plants. These kinds of dangers are fairly well known but I, for one, get in a routine and can let my guard down.

I won’t attempt to mention all the various household dangers in this one post, but there are a few hazards which I think are worthy of a mention. Please talk with your veterinarian and do some research on what may pose dangers to your beloved animal companions.

Foods – there are several foods which are toxic to some species. Chocolate is one of those food items found in many homes and it is imperative that we keep chocolate and candy out of the reach of pets. Other common household foods and cooking ingredients include garlic, onions, raisins, grapes, alcohol, coffee and coffee beans, some nuts, and the stems and leaves on garden tomatoes.

Cleaning products - in addition to obvious cleaning products such as detergents, bleach, and disinfectants, cleaning products may contain other chemicals that can harm our pets. Check the label for warnings and lock them up. Better yet, don’t use them if a *poison* label is present. A floor cleaner, for example, may leave a residue on the floor which your pet will walk through and then may lick their paws. Use caution if a product lists ammonia, acids, calcium hypochlorite, turpentine, and phenols in their ingredients list.

Medications – all human medications should be kept well out of the reach of children AND animals. Basic over-the-counter pain relievers can cause serious kidney problems if ingested by an animal and can even be fatal, according to a list of the 10 most poisonous meds for pets complied by the ASPCA, and decongestants can elevate heart rates and cause seizures. Keep medications locked up and out of reach, especially if you have a particularly curious cat or a dog that loves to counter-surf your nightstand or bathroom counters!

Use common sense and “pet proof” your home. It will save much heartache later!

See more household dangers in part two, More Household Dangers for Pets.

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Summer Dangers – Snakes (Part Two)

Jul 11

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Health & Well Being for Pets, Stories about our Animals | 2 Comments

At the conclusion of  “Summer Dangers – Snakes (Part One)” Cooper the black lab had been in the Veterinary Hospital for a few days after being bitten by a rattlesnake. He had received anti-venom serum, and Wendy, his temporary caregiver, along with the veterinary staff, was starting to see signs of improvement.

 

Morgan, Wendy, Cooper, Jill

Morgan, Wendy, Cooper, Jill - 2009

A Reminder of the Cast of Characters:

Cooper - four-year-old black Labrador Retriever

Morgan - Cooper’s Golden Retriever friend

Wendy – Morgan’s mom, and Cooper’s caretaker when his family is on vacation

Jill – Cooper’s mom who was on vacation in South America during the time of Cooper’s experience with the snake

 
Q: Jill, how long was Cooper hospitalized? How long after returning home did you feel he was completely recovered?

A: Cooper was hospitalized for five days.  By the time we returned from Peru, much of his swelling had gone down and his prognosis was very, very good.  I recall that he was a bit sluggish when we picked him up, but otherwise quite normal and in good spirits.

 

Morgan and Cooper

Morgan and Cooper

Q: Now, two years later, how is Cooper? Any lasting effects? Any signs of trauma, like not wanting to hike in particular terrains anymore?

A:Cooper has no lasting effects from the snake bite. He has no fear of prairie-like terrains, no fear of vets and is always up for a walk in the wilderness. He also has no lasting physical effects from the bite.

We are forever indebted to Wendy for her rapid response to the rattlesnake bite and for doing exactly the right thing every step along the way to ensure Cooper’s health and well being. In addition, our VPI Pet Insurance covered fully two-thirds of the cost of the veterinary treatment and care

Q: If Cooper should happen upon a snake again in the future, would his immune system withstand another bite experience?

A: I am not sure of the answer to this, and I suppose the circumstances would contribute as well. We hope we won’t have to find out, and remain aware of the potential for snakes on Cooper’s behalf when are on hiking trails.

 

Q: Wendy and Jill – any cautions, advice, or helpful hints that you can provide having been through a snake bite experience?

Wendy: The advice I would give is to be aware of where snakes may be prone – if walking in the area, go during cooler times of the day.  Look out for particularly sunny spots where snakes like to bask in the sun.  If you or your dog is bitten – act quickly – do not delay in getting to the nearest hospital.

Jill: Avoidance of areas with a preponderance of rattlesnakes is best during the summer months.  It is also worthwhile knowing vets in the area that are likely to have the anti-venom on hand. 

Playing Tug o' War with a stuffed monkey

Playing Tug o' War with a stuffed monkey

 

Comments from Cooper

Cooper was my first (and so far my only) snake bite client. As Wendy referenced, she called me very soon after getting Cooper to the hospital, and I attempted to communicate with Cooper a few times during his recovery. My notes from the first communication with Cooper, which was within a couple of hours after his run-in with the snake, included:

  • painful swelling in his mouth, excessive drooling
  • “tingly” in his legs
  • feverish, achy like flu symptoms
  • no appetite, interest, or energy for eating

I remember asking Cooper what it felt like in the area (between his eyes) where the puncture wounds were found. I assumed much of his discomfort would be focused around his upper nose, eyes, and forehead area. It was surprising to me that I didn’t pick up on any information about that area – he didn’t talk about pain between his eyes, having a headache, or any significant sensations in that area. He continually brought my attention, however, to very unusual sensations in his mouth. It felt as though his lips and gums were turning inside out, and he couldn’t stop the drool. I was sure I was misunderstanding him, but my visit to Cooper a couple of days later confirmed what he shared - his lips and interior cheek tissue was extremely inflamed. Poor guy. As bad as he looked, I knew he felt worse.

My attempts to communicate in any detail with Cooper over the next couple of days were largely unsuccessful. Once he was more alert and his prognosis for survival was clear, I talked with him about the snake. He didn’t have any idea what happened to him. “I just got sick” he said. As I described the sounds (rattles) and smells associated with rattlesnakes, I never felt that he fully connected the snake with his illness.

 

My thanks to Wendy and Jill for agreeing to be interviewed. Chances are you will never need to know how to tend to your pet in this way, however, according to some statistics found online, animal snake bite cases are on the rise. If you live or hike in areas with known snake activity, take appropriate precautions for your animals, and know where the nearest emergency veterinary clinic is located just in case. If you feel your pets may be at higher risk for a possible run in with a poisonous snake, talk with your vet about snake bite inoculations. As with any vaccination, there are risks and some animals may develop allergic reactions to the vaccine so consider all the pros and cons.

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Summer Dangers – Snakes (Part One)

Jul 7

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Health & Well Being for Pets, Stories about our Animals | No Comments

Ah, glorious summertime. Living in the mountains of Colorado, I look forward to a few months of warm, sunny weather as many of you do. Summertime brings some dangers, however, of which we all need to be aware. A previous post discussed poison mushrooms and some dangerous foliage. In most regions, summer dangers also includes poisonous snakes. The snake varieties vary from region to region – here in the Rocky Mountains we keep our Snake blog post warningeyes open for rattle snakes. Where my family lives in Arizona they remain aware of diamondback rattle snakes. I won’t list them all, but do take the time to be aware of what snakes may be lurking in your area and take precautions to keep your pets safe. Remember that outdoor cats love to play chase; dogs have a way of nosing in to areas they may regret; and horses can come upon a sleeping snake and startle it to reaction. Be aware!

Following is the first part of an interview with two client-friends who had an unexpected experience with a rattle snake. Part two of this article will conclude the interview, and I will comment on my communication experience with Cooper immediately after his run-in.

Cast of Characters:

Cooper - a well-behaved four-year-old black Labrador Retriever who enjoys hiking in the mountains of Colorado

Morgan - Cooper’s younger Golden Retriever friend

Wendy – Morgan’s mom, and Cooper’s caretaker when his family is on vacation

Jill – Cooper’s mom who was on vacation in South America during the time of Cooper’s experience with the snake

Cooper

Cooper

Q: Wendy, what was the terrain and conditions present when Cooper met the snake ?

A: The date was May 4, 2007.  The days had been really hot so I wanted to take Morgan and Cooper up Table Mountain (in Golden, Colorado) early.   We headed up around 8:30 a.m. and it was already 85 degrees with hot sun and little wind.  Table mountain is less than a mile up to the top but relatively steep.  We took the longer route with fewer switchbacks.  While Morgan was off the trail and wandering around, Cooper remained on the trail just slightly ahead of me.  We turned at a switchback approximately ½ way up the mountain and all of a sudden Cooper got excited and started to sniff around the bush – a little deeper than his usual sniffs….then I heard the rattle!

Q: Did you have any warning that a snake was near? Was Cooper nosing around under bushes and disturb the snake, or was it completely innocent on Cooper’s part?

A: I heard the rattle and quickly called Cooper back – it didn’t take much as he was already pulling away from the bush. 

Q: Cooper is a good-size Labrador. Once bitten, how did you manage to get him to the hospital?

A: As I had heard the rattle and saw the snake which was BIG, I was pretty sure that Cooper had been bitten.  I don’t recall if he actually whelped or if he just pulled away from the bush.  I quickly called Morgan and Cooper and headed down the hill.  I had previously had a run-in with a rattler so knew that raising Cooper’s heart rate would only speed up the blood flow which, in turn, would pump the poison through is body.   Within just a couple of minutes Cooper was foaming from the mouth and the bridge between his eyes was beginning to disappear (it was now clear that the snake bit Cooper directly between the eyes as evidenced by the puncture wounds).

I put both dogs on lead and slowly, yet panicky, walked down the hill.  It took at least 15 minutes to walk back to my house and all the while Cooper was getting slower and slower.  With anxiety building I put Cooper in the car and drove as quickly as I could to the Vet (another 15 minutes away).  By this time Cooper’s face was drawn and drooping – he was slow and obviously in pain.

Q: Please walk us through the next steps, Wendy – finding an emergency hospital equipped to handle snake bites, treatment options, the prognosis and any information the veterinary staff provided.

A: The entire Vet staff was very responsive and gave me all the critical information – the most important was to give Cooper the anti-venom shot which he did receive within minutes of arriving.  After admitting Cooper I promptly called you (Kelly) to ask if I was doing the right thing for Cooper, what else could I have done, etc. – I was nervous, scared, upset!

The doctor was excellent in telling me all they would have to do with Cooper.  After receiving the anti-venom, the staff could only try to make him as comfortable as possible.  The doctor would not give any indication if Cooper’s body would accept the anti-venom or his chances for survival.  That scared me the most!  Cooper was to be in the hospital for the coming 3-4 days and would most likely be very ‘out of it’ as the drugs were strong.  They put him on an IV and monitored his water-intake for the coming days.  Before I left the hospital I was allowed to see Cooper who was heavily sedated and obviously in pain.

I went back to the hospital at 3:00 p.m. and this time it was even more upsetting – Cooper was whining, delirious and his head had grown to an enormous size – probably 2-3 times his normal size.  His face drooped and sagged and he had managed to pull out his IV several times during the day.  I tried to comfort him, talk to him and assure him that he would get through this.  The doctor did ensure that his whining was more from the medication than him being in pain at that point.

For the next couple of days I visited Cooper several times a day – he seemed to be improving slowly but his head was still very large and he was slow moving.  I checked in with the doctor each time – he still would not give any indication of whether Cooper would make it or not.

Finally on Sunday, the day Jill and Mike were due home, Cooper started to show some more improvement.  He recognized me and was more responsive than he had been in previous days.   The doctor was also more optimistic and gave a positive response about Cooper’s prognosis.

Part two continues with Cooper’s long-term prognosis, advice should you find yourself in a similar circumstance, and my own experience in communicating with Cooper during his ordeal.

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