Dog fights for life after saving owner from snake

[Little Bit]

Dog fights for life after saving owner from snake
Wed Oct 31, 1:07 AM ET


SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian sheepdog is fighting for its life after being bitten while saving its owner from a huge and deadly snake, local media reported Wednesday.
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Fay Palethorpe, 68, was gardening on her large Gold Coast property when she encountered a two-metre (six-foot) eastern brown snake, the Australian Associated Press reported.
"He saw me and I saw him, and he reared up about two foot into the air and struck at me three times," she said. "I just screamed and ran."
As the snake pursued Palethorpe across the garden her three Australian sheepdogs, known as kelpies, leapt to her defence.
"It was coming after me, chasing me," she said, describing how one of the dogs, Tess, grabbed the snake and threw it in the air before it fled.
But the dog was bitten on the ear and was bleeding internally by the time Palethorpe reached an emergency animal clinic where Tess was given an urgent dose of antivenene.
"My vet said if it had got me I wouldn't have reached my back stairs, it was so deadly," Palethorpe said.
Tess sank into a coma soon after the incident on Sunday, and the vet rated her chances of survival as 50-50. But the heroic pet began blinking her eyes on Wednesday.
"Every hour is a little bit better," said Palethorpe.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071031...t_071031050723

[SevenGirl]

Oh, I hope she makes it!!! What a hero!!!

[grayxie]

That's an amazing story, it just shows how much loyalty dogs have for their companions. I think Australia has quite a few of the top ten most deadliest snakes in the world, I hope that snake wasn't one of them.

[Jenn218]

OH MY GOODNESS!!
This story makes me cry because of the loyalty these furry friends of ours have!
Any update on the story???
Our thoughts and prayers are with this dog and his family!

[chachi]

Wow what a hero that dog was

[Baby Blessing]

We had a Doberman once that did the same thing regarding a mojave green rattler here in Calif. in our yard, thankfully our Dobie didn't get bitten, she stopped me walking and kept circling about me so I couldn't take another step, she even got right in front of me and started pushing and leaning against the front of my legs. Our other Dobie did get bit once on the leg ( can still hear the louddddddd sound of the snake and we was in the house, our home is so insulated but that snake sure was loud, Jack was amazed at the sound of it ) the emercency center said the ati venum could kill her so we didn't do that, they kept her on iv's and she made it fine, we sure did a lot of praying for her. They are so protective and always on guard. Loved our Dobies.

Many people don't realize that snakes can raise up several feet in the air and if I recall their striking distance can be half their body length or a little more. They are quite fast. Those side winders are really fast and scarey, I experienced one once at our driveway. I am always so careful when mowing the lawns. Seems the latter part of September and early October is bad and then the spring time.

Patti and Jack

[ARCHIE]

I can't imagine being chased by a very large snake! That woman
must have been terrified. That poor dog. I pray that he makes it.
Dogs are such faithful campanions.

[LoveMyJake]

I don't like snakes, so that sounds terrifying! What a brave dog, I hope and pray that he makes it!

[KathyinCali]

What an amazing story! I am praying for his recovery...