Oklahoma Snake Bite Victims Tell Others To Take Precautions

Snakes have been spotted inside homes, near businesses and out in the back yard, and humans and animals have been their target.

Friday, May 22nd 2015, 11:08 pm

By: News On 6


The rainy weather can bring all kinds of creatures out of hiding, including venomous snakes.

Snakes have been spotted inside homes, near businesses and out in the back yard, and humans and animals have been their target.

The recent rain seems to have brought more snakes out than usual for this time of year, and some people who were out in their own yards, unfortunately, have been in their path.

Walking in the backyard is part of Shana Janzen and her dog, Chloe's, normal routine.

Almost a year ago she was doing the same thing one night when, all of a sudden, she felt something on her foot.

"I didn't see anything, I felt like a twig flipped back up and hit the side of my foot," Janzen said.

Her husband took one look at her foot and could tell it was a snake. The pain, she said, started immediately.

"It was excruciating, really bad," said Janzen.

The venom made her foot swell within an hour. She spent days in the Intensive Care Unit and took her months to recover.

“I still have numbness in one of my toes and the top of my foot hurts from time to time when the weather is changing and things like that," Janzen said.

This week, 4-year-old Milo went in the backyard of his midtown home and came back inside with a bloody face, according to Milo's owner, Clayton Woodrum.

"We believe it happened right around here because Milo was scared a couple of days after,” he said.

Woodrum took him to the vet who confirmed it was a venomous snake bite.

"The puncture wound we saw looked like it was pretty decent size," he said.

Milo is still nervous to leave the porch; Janzen said that fear doesn't go away anytime soon.

"As soon as the weather warms up I'm just like, scared,” she said.

Flood lights are now up lighting up the yard, and she never goes out without "bite-proof" boots.

As more snakes are moving around, she urges everyone to be alert.

"Keep your eyes open, and use a flashlight and just be careful," Janzen said.

The snake sightings are likely due to number of things - the time of year, recent rain and development will force them out of their dens.

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