California woman distraught after rattlesnake strikes golden retriever 3 times

A warm February hike in California became a life-threatening rattlesnake emergency for a golden retriever, and his owner is now urging other dog owners not to assume winter walks are risk-free.

The dog was bitten three times by the snake, resulting in a difficult rescue off a mountain and weeks of intensive veterinary care, Newsweek reported.

What happened?

Nicole Isaacs, a Los Angeles dog owner, had taken her golden retrievers to the same mountain trail many times without trouble. But on Feb. 28, 2024, that familiar hike turned dangerous.

Even though the weather was warm, Isaacs believed they were "still in the clear" because it was winter, and she let her dogs off leash higher up in the mountains.

She described the moment the encounter unfolded, recalling how her golden retriever, Hank, was bitten, telling the outlet that, "I first heard the snake before seeing it; everything happened so quickly." 

Isaacs added, "I sprinted past [my dogs], hoping they'd chase after me so I could grab them and get away. Two of them followed, but Hank stayed with the snake and was struck three times on the nose."

She has since posted about the ordeal on her TikTok.

@nicoleisaacsofficial THE FULL STORY… This is the story of Hank, who got bit by a rattlesnake 3x and almost didn't make it… My friend and I took my 3 dogs on my favorite hike- the same hike I always take them. It was late February, and since snake season usually starts in March closer to spring, I thought it was still safe to have them off leash for a bit so they could run around freely. We were very high up in the mountains, and there were no other dogs or people around. It happened to be a warmer February afternoon, and apparently this rattlesnake decided to come out of hibernation early. I heard the rattle first before seeing the snake, but it was too late. All 3 dogs went right up to it. I managed to pull two of my dogs away, but Hank stayed back and got bit 3 times on his nose. He was immediately paralyzed, couldn't walk, and started vomiting. He's almost 80 pounds so I couldn't lift him, and we were miles away from a road- also no cell service. We couldn't have been in a worse situation and it was my absolute nightmare. I ran down the mountain with my other two dogs screaming for help, waiting to get cell service to call someone to pick us up and take us to the vet. Luckily a man crossed Hank's path and helped carry him down the mountain. Unfortunately it took us 2 hours to get to the vet, and at that point I was praying it wasn't too late. He spent a few days at the vet and it was the longest week of my life. Because there was so much venom and he got bit 3x, the doc wasn't able to tell us if he would survive, so that whole week I was just waiting to see what would happen… When we took him home, he was bleeding from his mouth and could barely open his eyes-he was still so swollen. After a few days of being home, he wasn't recovering like we hoped, so we brought him back to the vet. The anti-venom didnt seem to be enough for how severe the bites were, so the vet drove himself an hour away to get plasma for Hank. After he was released the 2nd time and brought home, we finally started to see some progress. He started going outside, putting the ball in his mouth, wagging his tail and even barking. His brother Jax didn't leave his side, and neither did I. we officially trauma bonded and now, we are attached to the hip. I make sure my dogs now live life to the fullest. They are 10 years old and this was a wake up call for me. I try and take them everywhere and just show them the best life I possibly can 😭🙏🏽🤍 If you live in an area with rattlesnakes, look into getting the rattlesnake vaccine- if your dog gets bit, it prevents the venom from spreading quickly. There are also rattlesnake training programs for your pups so they learn to not approach them. And lastly, keep your dogs on a leash, especially during those warmer months 🙏🏽 #rattlesnake #snakebites #goldenretriever #goldenretrieverlife #dogs ♬ Dream Away - Ramol

According to Isaacs, Hank started vomiting almost right away and then was "immediately paralyzed." Because she had no cell service and nobody was nearby, she ran down the mountain to find help.

A passerby eventually helped carry the 80-pound Hank out, but it still took more than an hour to reach the road and another two hours to get to a veterinary clinic. Hank needed multiple doses of antivenom and later plasma after failing to improve. His full recovery took weeks.

Why does it matter?

Isaacs' experience shows how easy it can be to misjudge the dangers of rattlesnakes just because of local weather conditions.

As BBC Future has reported, many wildlife attacks happen as humans and animals increasingly share the same spaces through development and recreation. Hiking trails, expanding neighborhoods, and off-leash pets can all raise the chances of a close encounter with a snake.

For Isaacs, the clearest lesson is not to treat colder months as automatic protection from rattlesnakes. 

In her TikTok post about the snake attack, she wrote, "If you live in an area with rattlesnakes, look into getting the rattlesnake vaccine. If your dog gets bit, it prevents the venom from spreading quickly. There are also rattlesnake training programs for your pups so they learn to not approach them. And lastly, keep your dogs on a leash, especially during those warmer months."

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