Pet Kare Clinic treated a confirmed rattlesnake envenomation today, about the same time as our first last year. The dog encountered the snake at home and the bite was whitnessed by his owner. (The home is located on CR26 behind Sleeping Giant). On presentation he had a large swollen muzzle typical of sniffing the wrong end of a snake. With the gracious help and donation of the costly antivenom from the pharmacy at YVMC, the swelling decreased rapidly and the patient is expected to make a full uneventful recovery.

Growing up in the Yampa Valley I never saw or heard of rattlesnakes - was I wrong to think they weren't here all those years? The rattlers are now indeed in the area, and perhaps not just limited to the areas we've encountered them in the past (Mad Creek Trail, Sleeping Giant, Emerald Mountain and out near Mt. Harris). Be careful out there and remeber it's not the snake's fault!

For more info about snake bites, and for what to do if your dog is bitten, click here.