Dog saves owner from deadly snake attack
Andrew MacDonald
31Oct07
A BRAVE kelpie called Tess is in a coma after saving her owner from a deadly eastern brown snake, possibly at the cost of her own life.
Tallebudgera Valley retiree Fay Palethorpe, 68, was in the garden of her 8ha (20 acre) property in Syndicate Road when she came across the snake about 9.30am on Sunday.
One-year-old Tess and Ms Palethorpe's two other kelpies, including the puppy's father Widgee, sprang into action and attacked the highly venomous snake as it lunged for their owner.
The snake was injured and fled but Tess was bitten on the ear in the melee.
The brave dog now lies fighting for her life in a Tugun veterinary surgery.
"He was the biggest snake I've ever seen. I would have said about 6 feet (1.8m)," said Ms Palethorpe, who lives alone on the land she has owned for 30 years.
"I couldn't have got away from it. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her (Tess).
"The snake was lying on a rock and it saw me the same time I saw it. It reared up and just went for me.
"I just screamed and screamed and turned and ran.
"All of the dogs just came out of nowhere and went for it. I knew it was a brown snake so I screamed out for them to leave.
"The other two left but Tess wouldn't. She had it and was throwing it back and forth. I heard Tess scream. It had got her on the ear."
Ms Palethorpe said her attention turned to getting her dog to a vet on a Sunday morning.
"She was in a pretty bad way. I rang around to find an emergency vet and by the time I got her to the vet she was weeing blood." she said.
Unable to afford the $1500 for emergency treatment, she refused to let her saviour be put down and borrowed $1300 from a son, despite there being no guarantee of a recovery.
"I just hope she gets better. She really could have given her life for mine," she said.
"I've now got her at my regular vet who I've known for 30 years.
"I went on the Monday morning and asked if I could see her. They said, 'It's not very nice, she's in a coma', but when she heard my voice she started wagging her tail."
Tugun-based veterinarian Dr Bob Prescott is currently caring for Tess and said the dog had made slow but steady progress since Sunday.
"She was completely paralysed and she couldn't even blink her eyes," he said.
"Now she can blink her eyes and move her legs. I think we've turned a corner."
While Dr Prescott was hopeful for Tess, he said there was still a long way to go.
"She's still partly paralysed and looks very dazed. She has trouble lifting her head," he said.
"The main treatment was the antivenene but we've still got her on an intravenous drip to try and flush the rest of the poison out.
"Snake bites are touch and go and we probably lose about 50 per cent of them."
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary life sciences curator Matt Hingley said eastern brown snakes were among the most venomous in the world.
"It's in the world's top three. It has a fast-acting venom and it is able to rapidly administer that venom," he said.
"Patients tend to respond relatively well to the antivenine but it can be hit and miss with the eastern brown."
A BRAVE kelpie called Tess is in a coma after saving her Gold Coast owner from a deadly eastern brown snake, possibly at the cost of her own life. Pictured is Fay Palethorpe with Tess's, father Widgee. Inset: Tess fighting for her life.
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