Our sweet girl Ryver was bitten by a rattlesnake on August 29, 2026, around 2:00 PM. We’re asking for help with the emergency veterinary care that’s giving her a chance to recover.

Ryver is a young, 1-year-and-9-month-old Red Field Golden Retriever with a huge personality and an even bigger love for life. She loves spending time outside, carrying around her favorite sticks, chasing balls, collecting rocks from anywhere she can find them, burying random things in our yard, and playing fetch. She’s playful, curious, and always ready for her next adventure.

Unfortunately, living in Florida also means dealing with venomous snakes. We’ve already killed two large rattlesnakes on our property in just the last few months, both measuring around 4 1/2 feet long. Ryver wears a Halo Collar specifically to keep her away from the wooded areas of our property, so we believe this snake must have made its way into the open part of the yard. This time, Ryver found it before we did.

The rattlesnake bit Ryver directly on the face, right behind her eye. Based on her injuries, the veterinarian believes she may have been struck multiple times. The bites also caused several lacerations around the area, leaving her bleeding and badly injured.

Thankfully, I was in our shop when Ryver came whimpering through the door, bleeding. At first, a snakebite never crossed my mind. I was trying to figure out what had happened and where the blood was coming from. After a few minutes of looking her over, she began drooling excessively. Then her right front leg started getting stiff, and her eye began to swell and bulge. That’s when I realized she had likely been bitten by a rattlesnake.

I immediately called our regular veterinarian, but because it was a Saturday, their office was closed. With no time to waste, I rushed Ryver to Northwood Animal Hospital, a 24/7 emergency veterinary hospital in Tallahassee, Florida, where she was immediately evaluated and began receiving emergency treatment.

As the venom spread, the swelling around her face and eye became increasingly severe. So far, she has required four doses of antivenom while the veterinary team continues working to control the effects of the venom and give her the best chance at a full recovery.

Right now, one of our biggest concerns is her eye. Because of where the snake struck her, there is still a very real possibility that our sweet girl could lose it. The swelling is currently so severe that the veterinary team hasn’t been able to fully examine her eye yet, so they still don’t know whether the eye itself is intact. We’re praying that she’s able to keep it and that she heals without any permanent damage.

Her veterinary bill has already reached approximately $4,300 and continues to climb as she receives treatment, medication, and monitoring. Unfortunately, we did not have pet insurance for Ryver, so these unexpected emergency expenses are coming directly out of pocket.

We’re doing everything we can for her, and we’re not going to let the cost of treatment determine whether our girl gets the care she needs.

100% of your donation will go directly toward Ryver’s emergency veterinary treatment, antivenom, medications, monitoring, and continued care.

If you aren’t in a position to donate, please consider sharing Ryver’s story. Even a simple share can make a huge difference by putting her story in front of someone who may be able to help.

We’ll continue posting updates as we learn more about her condition, her eye, and her road to recovery.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for donating, sharing, praying for Ryver, or simply taking the time to read her story. Every bit of support means more to us than we can put into words.

We just want our happy, adventurous girl back home doing what she loves. ❤️