Recently I was walking my dogs along the Point of Rocks trail located west of Alberton, when suddenly two of the dogs stopped and growled. Just ahead of us, a rattlesnake was coiled up next to the trail with its tail shaking violently. Its head was raised as his tongue flickered toward us.

My first reaction was of panic, fearing one of the dogs would lunge at it. My third dog was nowhere to be seen and as I held onto the other two, I called for him. He appeared above the embankment and darted toward me completely oblivious to the snake and he simply jumped over it.

I quickly leashed the dogs and headed in the opposite direction. Luckily, no harm was done but as I walked back to my car every branch and rock made me jump, thinking the venomous critters now lined my path.

Prairie Rattlesnakes, a sub-species of the Western Rattlesnake, are nothing new to this area of the country. However, there have been increased sightings this year due to the warmer temperatures.

“Rattlesnakes move down into moist river bottoms during hot, dry periods like we’ve been experiencing recently,” said Fish Wildlife and Parks Wildlife Biologist Kristi DuBois.

This creates a greater risk of human conflicts as snakes spend extra time in yards and gardens in search of cooler temperatures and rodents to eat. Precautions, such as wearing tall boots and long pants, being careful of where you step, watching where you place your hands around woodpiles and rocks and sweeping tall grass with a stick before walking through the area all help to keep an interaction with a snake at a minimum, she said.

Rattlesnake bites are rare and experts at Mineral Community Hospital said no one had been treated for a bite in the recent past. In Montana, only 43 rattlesnake bites have been reported in nine years, according to a 2011 Department of Health and Human Services report.

On average, rattlesnakes are not aggressive, but they will bite when they feel threatened. However, what if you or your dog, tangles with one? The good news is that their bite is rarely fatal to humans.

Bites do require immediate medical attention and there is a rattlesnake vaccine available for dogs from veterinarians. But be prepared for the bill with antivenin ranging from $450 to $700 per vial.

If bitten, you should immediately get away from the snake because it can strike again. It only takes seconds for the venom to travel to your bloodstream and you’ll feel symptoms immediately. This may include swelling, bruising or discoloration at the site of the bite. Also numbness in the face, arms and legs along with lightheadedness and weakness. You may also feel nausea, sweating, salivating, blurred vision and difficulty breathing.

Try to stay calm and as still as possible. Movement increases blood flow and the venom will circulate faster. Also, don’t raise the area above the level of you heart which will cause the venom to reach the heart faster.

Let the wound bleed and don’t wash around it. This will allow the medical team to use some of the venom from your skin to more quickly identify the correct antivenin. However, do cover the wound with a clean bandage. Don’t cut the wound and try to suck out the venom. This is an old myth which doesn’t help and may cause infection.

There are also contradictory reports as to whether to use a tourniquet or not.

Laurel Chambers with Mineral Community Hospital said that her sources recommend weighing the risk from the benefits. A tourniquet may be beneficial if you cannot get medical attention quickly or if the snake is large. Otherwise, don’t use one and don’t ice the wound.

Get to the hospital within 30 minutes. If a bite is left untreated, bodily functions begin to break down and over a period of two or three days the bite may result in severe organ damage or death.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only about five people per year die in the U.S. from snake bites. Pets also stand a good chance of survival, depending on the size of the snake and the size of the dog. They should be treated within the first six hours of a bite for best results. Rattlesnakes don’t pose a problem in the winter because they hibernate and don’t re-emerge until April or May when temperatures reach about 60 degrees F. They are most active when temperatures are in the 80s and 90s.