An Unpleasant Surprise

There are good surprises, and then there are bad surprises.  Last week we had one of the bad kind.  Just as we were preparing for an influx of friends and family for the big total solar eclipse, Kota came around the corner of the house with a large lump under her jaw.  It’s a miracle that I noticed it, but she was just at the right angle (or maybe God just made sure I noticed…)  

She didn’t appear to be in any pain, and I suspected perhaps an abscess.  It was Friday afternoon, though, and so I quickly phoned our vet and loaded her for the half-hour trip to Gatesville to have it evaluated.  By the time we arrived, though, the right side of Kota’s muzzle was noticeably swollen, and I could see two tell-tale marks on her lip.   

I was terrified.  Only too well I remember that crisp April morning eleven years ago when we took our Nickie to the same vet for the same reason, a rattlesnake bite.  I still tear up thinking back on that day and the tragedy of losing her in spite of everything the doctors could do.  Fortunately, last Friday’s outcome was different.  After an overnight stay and quantities of antivenin, pain meds and antibiotics, Kota came home with only a fat face to show for her experience.  Thank goodness she had just a few weeks before received her biannual rattlesnake vaccine.  It no doubt helped her survive the bite.

I am still puzzled about how she was bitten.  All our dogs have received “rattlesnake avoidance” training.  It works, especially when they hear that unmistakeable bzzzzz.  They quickly move in the opposite direction.  In fact, the last time we took dogs to a refresher session (where we walk them near the snake to make sure they still avoid it), they wouldn’t even get out of the car.  I can only think that when Kota approached the snake it struck before it rattled.  Either that, or her fourteen-year-old ears just didn’t detect it.

The snake, however, continued to provide excitement.  John had examined our yard from one end to the other looking for the snake, but couldn’t locate it.  And, none of the dogs alerted on it either, so we assumed it had moved on.  Not so!  On Saturday while most of us were enjoying happy hour, Steve Dixon went to his RV to get something.  Just as he walked through the gate from our yard to the parking lot, Steve heard the sound of a close-by rattler.  He stepped back out of strike range, and started waving to get someone’s attention while keeping an eye on the snake.  Before long, Gail noticed him standing by the gate, and he raised the alarm.  John fetched his handy “snake hoe” from the back of the ‘Gator, and the threat was soon eliminated.

Let’s hope he doesn’t have friends nearby.  We haven't seen any, but continue to be vigilant.