Josh puts life at risk to save mom

JOSH the pure-bred, wire-haired fox terrier is a lap dog and the apple of his daddy’s eye.

However, when a Mozambican spitting cobra was ready to attack his human mother, the 4-year-old, together with his sister of the same breed, did not think twice before pouncing on the snake.

Josh was bitten in the face and had to spend several days at Valley Farm Animal Hospital in Pretoria. He was released a week ago and is still recovering at home. His fearless conduct, however, left him with a gash in the face.

Owner Veronica Baartman, who lives on a smallholding in Bela Bela with her husband, George, is still in shock about what happened.

“He is my husband’s dog, his shadow, his best friend and his life. He and his sister Amy are like our children and wherever we are, they are.”

Veronica said on January 23, she and her husband woke later than usual due to load shedding. When she took the plates back to the kitchen after breakfast, she suddenly saw the spitting cobra in front of her with its head upright, ready to attack.

“I took a few steps backwards and I shouted in angst. Josh, who was sitting on my husband’s lap at the time, jumped up and together with his sister, stormed down on the snake. My husband and I still wanted to stop the dogs, but the next moment the snake was dead, with his head halfway bitten off.”

The Baartman couple at first did not think that the snake had a chance to hurt the dogs because they had not seen any wounds.

But Josh soon afterwards battled to breathe. Veronica contacted the wire-haired group to ask for help and received several numbers to phone, but no one answered. She also could not get help from a local vet.

They were told about Valley Farm Animal Hospital and rushed to Pretoria with Josh. “We switched on our hazard lights and simply just sped until we got there after midnight. “

By then, Josh really struggled to breathe. The hospital, however, only had one vial of

antivenom, but he was immediately treated with it. Veronica said they went back the next day to visit Josh in hospital, but things did not look good and he was attached to a heart monitor. He also had to be administered with oxygen.

“The vet said that Josh should have actually received three vials of antivenom, but as there is a shortage, they could not find more. It was hoped that his courage would carry him through – and it did.”

While Josh was fighting for his life for several days, prayer and well wishes from family and friends kept the Baartmans going. Veronica said the response of people on social media was also amazing. The hospital, meanwhile, managed to obtain two more vials and from there things went better.

Veronica said the medicine, together with the prayers and the love shown by the vets who treated him, saved his life. Her grandson, 11, also wrote several letters to Josh which stood by his side at hospital, wishing him a speedy recovery.

Josh was elated when he was discharged a week ago and saw his human dad.

But Veronica said this had been a tough week for him, as he was still battling to eat. The snake venom also left severe tissue damage.

Veronica said she was proud and grateful for her furry boy, who saved her life without regard for his own.