Tuesday, April 21 –

This afternoon, Stockton and Carolina heard a rattler under a large piece of plywood out by the barn. Rusty, of course, stuck his nose under it for a better look. They came to the house to ask for help getting the board up so Stockton could get a shot at it. I told them to wait for Nathan or the big boys to get home because I didn’t want them putting their hands under it. About that time Rusty shows up at the house with fang marks on his nose.

We talked to a vet who was willing to meet us in Childress if it turned out to be a bad case. But he said that a bite on the nose is the best place to have one (if you’re a dog).

Meanwhile, Rusty is enjoying his new status as a patient. Stockton is brushing him and trying to get him to stay calm. His nose is beginning to swell, but other than that, he seems fine.

When Cimarron got home, he and Stockton went back out and killed the snake. They said that under that piece of plywood was the rattler, a racer snake, a ground snake and a box turtle (which Stockton kept). The rattlesnake had 12 buttons, but was normal size.

As I write this at 10:12 pm, he seems to be fine. I think he dodged a bullet this time.