Our second encounter was a week later. Shady was running down the trail about 30 feet ahead of me when I saw her skid to a stop and heard the hissing and rattling of the snake right in front of her. After that I decided that I needed to look into getting her vaccinated against rattlesnakes. The vaccine doesn't make a bite harmless, but it does give you time to get the dog treatment. My internet research indicates that the vaccine is quite controversial, but I think that the benefits outweigh the risks for a dog who loves to hike. Since Eric doesn't keep the vaccine in stock we had to give him some time to aquire it and Shady has an appointment on Thursday.Yesterday we took our usual morning hike and we encountered THREE rattlesnakes! Three in one day has left me really paranoid and in quite a quandry. Shady loves to hike, and it is so easy to just let her off leash to run. Even though she does know how to heel she doesn't like it, and she doesn't get nearly as much excercise when we walk through town. I want to hike but I don't want my dog to be killed by a snake. I hate pit vipers!
8 comments:
I am terrified of snake bites and know nothing of the vaccine but it sounds like it is well worth it. I can't believe how many you have seen! I have never had an encounter with a pit viper, and hope I never do... I am content to deal with the groundhogs!
I can't ever remember seeing that many snakes up where you're hiking, although I did have several encounters. That being said, I have never spent the kind of time up there that you do.
I can totally understand the quandary that you are in. Ang has started to restrict Bella's "fetching" because she thinks Bella is obsessed. Without fetching Billy has WAY too much energy.
As I write this, Bella is barking at the window while there are 3 or 4 bunnies running around our yard. Do Pit Vipers eat bunnies, because if they do; we could work out some sort of deal.
I think that pit vipers probably do eat bunnies! Shall I send a few your way? (Mom, they probably eat gophers as well.)
I would much rather deal with bunnies than with poisonous snakes.
My God I am horrified. I have never seen a rattler in the hills.
I support the vaccine 100%. I know two dogs that were killed from it.
If it can buy you time you absolutely need to get it. Let me know how it goes :) xoxo
They are definatly around. My friend found one in her back yard out in eagle mountain. We also camp quite frequently out at five mile aka west desert and have seen tons of snakes out there. We haven't ran into one of those yet and hopefully never will. Good luck with Shady and her vet appt.
Yikes! I think I would be more worried about myself than the dog, but then I don't have a dog. I don't think I've ever seen that many snakes of any kind back in the days when I used to hike all the time.
Holy Hannah! Those things are horrifying. I would probably only need to see one to find another place to hike. I have been thinking I would like to go with you, but I'm not sure now.
I keep thinking that the stupid cat from across the street that pees on my doors should handle that stupid gophers, but no luck with that either.
My plan has been to change trails every time I see a snake, on the theory that if I haven't seen a snake in this place before there must not be any. I know that it is a bad theory, but I am going with it anyway. I have now switched from Baer to Adams Canyon.
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