I recently moved in to some apartments. I thought they were small but nice. The thing that really interested me was that there was a park next to them. There were plenty of trails and even a trail that allowed dogs. That was the thing that really mattered. I moved in and was very happy and so was my dog. He is a little chiweinie just a mixed up little dog. We walk the one trail everyday and enjoy it. Sometimes I can get my daughter to come with us and sometimes not.

One particular day she decides to come with us we have our cameras and we are walking our dog Ziggy and taking pictures. My daughter sees an unusual plant and says mom come and look. So with Ziggy attached to the leash and my arm I come to look. While I am looking really close to the ground. Ziggy decides he has found something in the grass and decides to dig it out.

I am still busy looking the other way when I hear Ziggy scream. I think maybe he has just gotten a toe nail hung or something. I did'nt react to quickly. But when I look up my dog is just standing there looking like he is in pain. Then I see it a snake looking at him as to strike again.

My reaction run Ziggy away as fast as I can. As soon as we got far enough away I pick my dog up to look and can find nothing no bites or anything. I am happy I think the snake just scared him. I put Ziggy back down and he screams. Then I knew it had to of gotten him.

I finally get home with my baby in my arms . My daughhter and I set out to find the bite mark. Which we do under his collar. The worst place because that is the place where it could have cut off his breathing. I then called the Emergency vet that was about 45 miles away. Because by then it is 8:30 at night.

I rush him out to the vet the whole time I am there two other dogs have been brought in because of snakes bites. The vet said it was more than likely a Copper Head and that it was venomous snake, These types of snakes were really bad this time of year. Then vemon from the snake could lead to shock and elevated heart rate and hypotension, vasculitis and swelling of the bitten area, also clotting disorder and severe pain and infection.

Ziggy was in severe pain for about a week and had to be on antibotics. I almost cried everytime he screamed out in pain. He was pitiful. I never knew how much I loved my little boy.

It took us a couple of months to be able to go back on that trail and Ziggy is no longer allowed to dig. He still does not like to go near the spot where he was bitten.

If you have a pet outside please watch for the snakes. The snakes are worst at the beginning of summer. They are very poisionous and can kill a pet or person. If you think your pet has been bitten do not allow it to move around it only spreads the posion further in the body. Please get your pet to the vet as soon as possible.