Warning to dog owners after deadly rattlesnake attack leaves pet dead

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - A Volusia County woman is warning pet owners after two of her dogs were bitten by a rattlesnake.

Jen Kohler says the large eastern diamondback was laying in the grass near a fence in the yard.

She says one pup survived, but her dog, named Shilo, was killed.

"Pet owners should worry about every venomous snake here in Florida. We've got the coral snake, cottonmouth, eastern diamondback. The larger the snake – the more severe the bites going to be," said local trapper Bob Cross.

Cross says people should keep their dogs on a short leash and watch what they're doing in the yard.

He says snakes may be hiding out in a shady spot.

"As all pet owners know, dogs like to smell everything that's out in the bushes. Every frog, toad, lizard, whatever's out there and if it happens to be a pygmy rattle snake or worse, a larger venomous snake, they're going to get bit on the nose and it's going to be serious," Cross said.

Cross says if your dog is bitten, try to identify the snake. And he says before any emergency happens, find out if your veterinarian is carrying antivenin.

Kohler says she hopes sharing the story of what happened to her dog will save over pets.