One day, Paula Godwin from Arizona was walking with her two puppies when she almost stepped on something in front of her.
Unfortunately for Paula, it was a frightened rattlesnake who was about to bite her leg in self-defense.
Paula’s golden retriever Todd didn’t miss a second, jumping in front of Paula to stop his mother from being bitten.
The snake pounced and unfortunately bit Todd in the mouth, but saved Paula from an excruciating and venomous bite.
“He jumped in front of my leg and I would definitely get bitten,” Godwin said on Facebook. “That’s what a hero looks like.”
Todd’s face started to swell, and he understandably screamed in pain, and thankfully Paula took him to an animal hospital minutes after the attack.
He was treated with antivenom and took a day off during the observation period.
Paula is so thankful for her brave puppy, and things could have gotten worse.
Rattlesnake bites are rarely fatal to humans, but they can still be extremely painful and cause blurred vision, difficulty breathing, and numbness.
When he got home, Todd was loved by his mother, and it wasn’t long before he was back on his feet, feeling better.
You can still see the wound on the side of his nose, which took longer to heal, but the swelling from the bite has subsided.
I think it’s safe to say that Todd will get a lot of extra hugs and treats from now on for his bravery.
“My dear Todd must be my hero,” Paula said. “He’s recovering well. I think I have to say the guy upstairs must be looking at me too.”
