It was like any other day for Paula Godwin from Anthem, USA, when she was taking a walk with her dogs, Todd and Cooper, down the hilly road. She was enjoying the beautiful morning so much that she didn’t realize there was something sitting on the road right on her path.
Godwin wrote in a Facebook post, “It was a beautiful morning but as we were walking down the hill I literally almost stepped on a rattlesnake. But, my hero of a puppy Todd saved me!” She continued, “He jumped right in front of my leg where I surely would have got bit….”
However, Todd, the six-month-old Golden Retriever, wasn’t so lucky. He was bitten by the dangerous reptile right on the face. According to Godwin, “It bit Todd quickly then started rattling.” The wound started to swell quickly, prompting Godwin to grab the dog and rush downhill to the nearest veterinarian clinic.
If you know anything about rattlesnakes, they can be dangerous, but fortunately rarely fatal to humans. And most bites take place when people inadvertently step on the reptile. Although their venom is extremely potent, proper medical treatment including antivenin is effective in countering the venom.
It was her timely decision that saved Todd. The vet gave him a shot of anti-venom and kept him under observation for the whole day. To Godwin’s good fortune, Todd recovered fast from an almost lethal snakebite and was back on is feet in no time. An elated Godwin says, “Todd for sure is my hero and I feel I have to say that the man upstairs is surely watching out for me too.”
When Godwin posted Todd’s picture on her Facebook account and other social media, he began to be hailed as a hero. The dog is recovering well, but you can still see the spot where the rattlesnake bit on his muzzle.