We had a cold front blow in yesterday morning, dropping the temperature 20 degrees in about an hour. That sent some critters looking for a warm hiding place. One rattlesnake found such a place on our back porch yesterday. Then our dogs found the rattlesnake.

Fortunately, only one dog got bit. He’s been to the vet and came right back home, with meds. There is a canine vaccination for Western Diamondback rattlesnakes and our dogs got their latest dose on April 10th. Timing is everything, right? There are so many variables that go into a rattlesnake bite (the dog’s age, his size, the amount of venom, for example), even a dog current on his rattlesnake vaccine needs professional care.

Here is Clint, a few hours after being bitten. His nozzle is swollen some. The bite is just above his nose, in the dark, bruised area.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it got the dog bitten by a rattlesnake

This is rattlesnake bite number seven for our pack of dogs in the 14 years we’ve lived here. All the dogs survived the bites.

Here’s Clint in his younger days, without a swollen nose.

Clint in bluebonnets