A Seminole County family said their pet dog stopped a poisonous snake from potentially getting into their home.

  • Seminole County dog bitten by coral snake
  • Dog wasn't able to breath on its own
  • Family trying to raise funds for dog's medical bills

Craig Thompson said his dog, Dallas, is a very special member of the family.

"My two younger daughters are struggling with chronic illnesses, so when they're home, he's with him," Thompson said.

Thompson said Dallas found a coral snake on Monday on the lanai of the family's home in Oviedo. Dallas bit the snake and killed it.

"He was in his protective territory and he did what he thought he needed to do," Thompson said.

The poisonous coral snake apparently bit Dallas on his tongue before the snake died. The family didn't even realize their dog suffered a snake bite until Dallas wasn't doing well and then noticed the dead snake on the back porch.

"He would just fall down and he was foaming at the mouth," Thompson said of Dallas.

The dog even stopped breathing while at the vet.

"He was unable to move his limbs and he was basically paralyzed at that point," said Dr. Christina Chan, a veterinarian at Affiliated Veterinary Specialists in Maitland.

Since the snake bite, veterinarians at AVS have kept Dallas alive by keeping the 2-year-old dog on a ventilator.

The dog began breathing on his own again Friday morning, though.

"At least he’s getting better," Thompson said.

Wildlife experts said coral snakes aren't aggressive unless provoked. Dallas' vet said they’ve only seen about a dozen cases over the years of snakes biting dogs.

Chan said that in Dallas' case, getting bit on the tongue made it worse because it didn't take long for the snake's venom to take effect.

Thompson said he's spent about $20,000 to save the family's dog, but he said it's worth it.

"Yep, we love him dearly," Thompson said. "You never know what you're willing to do until you have that happen."

Chan said Dallas should recover, but it will take several weeks of rehab.

The Thompsons have set up a GoFundMe account to help raise some of the money they spent to keep Dallas alive. The family said they had pet insurance, but they said it didn't cover the snake bite.

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