A pit bull has died after being bitten four times by a deadly snake while trying to protect two children.

Gary Richardson said Zeus attacked a venomous coral snake to save his two sons as they were cleaning the dog’s water bowl outside their family home in Sumter County, Florida.

The father said his children did not see the snake as it slithered towards them, but his eight-month-old dog did. Setting upon it Zeus killed it and potentially saved their lives.

Zeus was then rushed to a vet in nearby Ocala, Florida, where he was given two vials of anti-venom.

However, the pit bull passed away earlier this week.

“I knew when he first came in that something was wrong and [it] was very traumatic because I knew he was dying,” Mr Richardson told the Fox 35 Orlando news channel. “Pit bulls are the most loyal dog I know of, and I’ve had a lot of different animals in my life.”

Read more HERE