Copperhead bites Zeus and Foxy!

Foxy and Zeus, Snake Hunters...(sort of)

This is why I’m glad I live in the city. Don’t get me wrong – I love the country. And Gypsy Kitty, Alley Cat and Haskell are all current on their snake bite vaccines for trips to the ranch or mountains. It’s just that my dogs are accident prone, and if we lived in the country stuff like this would probably happen to me on a monthly (if not weekly or daily) basis.

Plus, one of the reasons we bought a house without an elevated deck in the backyard was because one of our dogs is famous for falling off of them while scratching his ear. We have enough problems without having to deal with the constant fear of snake bites.

From: Grammy Pammy
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:40 AM
To: Deals; Trevor; The Lazy Gnome; Turd
Subject: Copperhead bites Zeus and Foxy!

Hi, Ya'll--

Late last night-about 11:30-- Michael and I were just getting ready to turn in when all the dogs started barking and running off the patio into the dark yard...then one of them yelped...Michael grabbed the flashlight and I called the dogs back to me and herded them towards the back door...Foxy ran ahead of me, through the kitchen and hid under the guest room bed...Zeus stayed under my feet, but started whining and crying.

Michael called me back to the yard where he found the snake just off the patio's edge and was preparing to shoot it. I told him I thought at least one of the dogs had been struck.

Zeus was acting hurt and I finally found a little blood on his forehead...I couldn't find any wounds on Foxy, but I could tell she wasn't feeling good...so, after making sure none of the other dogs were hurt or acting strange, we loaded up Foxy and Zeus and headed for the emergency clinic in Arlington.

By the time we got there, both dogs were very painful to the touch and their heads were beginning to swell...Both were examined and both were found to have been struck on the head. They were started on morphine for pain and an IV plasma exchange to prevent the hemo-toxin in the snake venom from clotting their blood and were given an antibiotic. (Snake bites are dirty bites)

This morning they are doing OK--both ate their breakfast--we're waiting for the plasma exchange to finish--they will stay in the hospital until at least this afternoon...we may be able to then transfer them to our vet here in Cedar Hill, but all depends on how the dogs are doing...

Anyway, hopefully, the snake-bite vaccines they just completed last Saturday will help them through this...

When we got home about 2:30 am, we measured the snake and took some pictures...I've attached two...the snake measured 30 inches...looked well fed, too!

Will keep you posted....life in the country ...Ugh! (Can't wait to see the bill for this one!)
--GP

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From: Deals
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:54:33 -0500
To: Grammy Pammy; Trevor; The Lazy Gnome; Turd
Subject: RE: Copperhead bites Zeus and Foxy!

OMG! This explains the emergency text message I got from Schnitzel early, early this morning about wanting to move back to the city.

I am so glad that they are doing okay (or are at least feeling well enough to eat)! Poor Zeus E. Pott and Foxy Fu! I like how two of your smallest, most fluffy pups tried to take on a snake!

Keep me up-to-date on their progress. I’ll have Gypsy pray for them when I see her at 1:30.

Love,
Deals

P.S. Does the fact that Zeus took on a snake give him back his “man card” in Michael’s eyes?

Here are the pictures of the snake. He was an aggressive little bugger. Although, to be fair, I’d probably strike too if I was being attacked by two overgrown puff balls. Too bad it didn’t have the foresight to slither back into the woods before Michael found his shotgun.