Snakebite! Where's a vet when you need one?

Snakebite! Where’s a vet when you need one?
By Dana ColeHerald/Review
Published on Tuesday, June 12, 2007
TOMBSTONE — Most pet owners would agree. There’s nothing more unsettling than trying to find a veterinarian during a medical emergency and not having any luck.That’s exactly what Jeanne Patera went through Saturday evening when her dog, a Chinese pug named Chase, was bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake sometime between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m.
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Jeanne Patera comforts Uno, who has sustained a rattlesnake bite, evidenced by his swollen jowl. Her other Chinese pug, Chase, did not survive the Saturday incident. (Photo courtesy of Jeanne Patera)
“Chase was staggering and falling over and seemed disoriented,” Patera said. “I immediately started calling my veterinarian, but couldn’t reach him. There was no answering service, no message, nothing.”Within 15 minutes after being bitten, Chase was comatose.Patera, who lives in the Tombstone area, said she called every Cochise County veterinarian listed in the yellow pages, but none could be reached.“At some of the hospitals I got messages that told us to go to an emergency hospital in Tucson. But for us, going to Tucson was out of the question. It was obvious Chase needed immediate medical attention. He wouldn’t make the trip to Tucson.”Patera has another pug named Uno who was bitten by the same rattler that night. Out of sheer desperation, Patera packed up the two dogs and raced to Sierra Vista Regional Health Center, hoping someone at the medical facility would be able to treat the dogs, or at least give her some advice.“They couldn’t do anything for my dogs, but they did get on the phone and try to help me find a veterinarian,” Patera said. “They were absolutely fantastic. They called every vet they knew, but finally recommended that we go to one of the emergency vets in Tucson.”While Chase died not long after being bitten, Uno survived the ordeal.“His face is very swollen and he may require surgery on the left side of his face, in the event that necrosis sets in.” His left eye is affected, requiring treatment with an antibiotic eye ointment.“I took him to see Dr. (Ed) Kroger at Coronado Animal Hospital,” Patera said. “He put him on antibiotics, an eye ointment and recommended that I keep him on Benadryl for awhile.”Patera, who has four dogs, is planning to take them to a snake aversion class in Marana.In addition, Patera has ordered a snake repellent called Snake-A-Way. An EPA approved, university tested product effective against poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes, Snake-A-Way is safe to humans and animals. The repellent interferes with the snake’s sensory reception ability, causing the creature to become disoriented, uneasy and leave the area. Patera plans to sprinkle the repellent around the perimeter of her home.“I just don’t want to lose any more dogs,” she said. “Also, I think people around here need to know how difficult it is to find veterinarians on an emergency basis. If you have an emergency, plan to pack your animals up and head to Tucson.”When calling local veterinary practices about emergency services, they referred to emergency clinics in Tucson for treatment during late evening hours and weekends.From Monday through Friday, Coronado Veterinary Hospital is open until 9 p.m. and until 6 p.m. on weekends.All calls coming in after those times are referred to Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center. Coronado and New Frontier Animal Medical Center trade off emergency hours, giving veterinarians at both facilities some freedom on weekends and after hours.Sierra Animal Hospital, Apache Animal Center and Cochise Animal Hospital also refer clients to Tucson emergency facilities during off times.“I really want to let people know there are no veterinarians available on weekends,” Patera said. “With Chase, I had five dogs, so knowing where to take my animals during an emergency is really important to me.”Following are a couple of emergency animal hospitals located in Tucson.There are no emergency veterinary hospitals in the Sierra Vista area.• Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, 141 E. Fort Lowell Road, (520) 888-3177.There is another location at 7474 E. Broadway Road, (520) 888-3177.• Animal Emergency Services, 4832 E. Speedway Blvd., (520) 326-7449.Herald/Review reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.