vacation-itis

Last week, the girls and Grammy and I took a little vacation to my aunt's house. We did a bunch of fun things and a bunch of sitting around and it was basically a much needed, awesome break from real life. I got the rest of the pictures I wanted from my mom today and can't wait to relive our fun going through them. But today, I want to talk about what happens when you return to real life.

I have a case of vacation-itis. Or is it called going-home-itis?  I missed my husband, I missed my own bed, I missed my own home. But a day hasn't gone by where I didn't wish we were still sitting together planning what we are going to do, or not do, for the day. The truth is, being a stay at home mom can be a lonely job. Just because it is exactly what I want to be doing right now, doesn't mean it is always perfect. Or fun. Or even rewarding. Sometimes it is just tough, and having someone else in your same position to hang with can feel like such a relief. Even if that means I'm doing the exact same things I would at home, like changing diapers, making lunch, and waking up entirely too early in the morning.

I struggled most of the week with keeping busy and entertaining myself and my girls. Wednesday evening, I decided to take the girls outside, and to combat the 100* weather, I turned on a sprinkler. Good old country fun would keep them busy for a while and the heat would surely make them tired for bedtime.

I was finally feeling like the everyday boring was comfortable again.

I was picking up our dinner dishes and heading inside to run bath water for the girls when I happened to glance over at Lunati. She had been out in the yard, mostly out of sight, while we played. I did a double take when I realized her profile was swollen, flat from her forehead to her nose like a bull terrier. I called her name, and when she turned to me I saw the blood on her nose. Two puncture wounds right above her nose, about an inch apart, oozed blood and told me she had tangled with a rattlesnake.

Within five minutes her swelling had doubled. I called my mom and started calling vets. We had to take her to one of the emergency clinics in the next town, as none of the vets in our town offer after hours services.

{Normally, this is where I would insert a picture of my dog's disgusting, swollen, bloody, and deformed face.  But, shamefully, in my haste to arrange the children and the dog, I did not take a picture.  Not even with my phone.  The vet promised to email a picture to me, but I have yet to see one.  You can be sure I will post it as soon as I get it.}

She stayed the night at the vet, received antivenin and various other treatments.  Less than 24 hours later, she nearly dragged me out the door of the clinic to go home.  Resilient I tell you.  Resilient.


We have never dealt with a snake bite in the past, so I wasn't sure what to expect. After this, I will tell you they are not nearly as lethal to dogs as they are to human, and certainly not a dog of decent size (Lunati is about 35 lbs).


For those who aren't familiar with the heeler breed (officially called Australian Cattle Dog), I'll tell you one thing. These dogs aren't known for backing down. From anything. It is a breed of dog that has been bred to not just heel cattle, but to face a bull head on and fight. A breed that will take a kick from a cow, roll over, and get back up to keep chasing it. They are feisty and tenacious, and tough.  This was no accidental snake bite.  No. I'm sure she was asking for it by sticking her big nose into that snake's business.  Precisely where it did not belong.  Had it not been a direct hit to the face, I think she would have recovered just fine without medical intervention. By the time I reached the vet, about an hour or so after it happened, her muzzle had swollen larger than her head and the swelling was traveling down her neck, so I know we made the right decision to take her in.

Upon arrival, the vet asked if she has had the rattlesnake vaccine.  Yes, she has had it in the past, but unfortunately isn't currently up to date. No worries, he says, they don't work anyway. So. Um. Good to know.

I'm so glad I was outside to see her fairly quickly after it happened. The dogs are almost always out roaming around, but I am not usually outside with them for long. Especially when it is so hot. I'm thankful we were inside the patio cage and not wandering around the ponds feeding the fish. I have no idea where she was in the yard when she was bit, and unfortunately the snake is still out there.  I should be more shocked that we have lived here five years without any snake bites, considering how many snakes live in the area. We are always cautious outside, especially this time of year, but I think we will be extra, extra cautious for quite a while.

I'm glad I was feeling vacation-itis, or whatever it was that pulled me outside that evening.  I'm not saying she would have died if she had waited longer for treatment, but given the circumstances, she received help as soon as was absolutely possible.  And I feel pretty good about that.

And for the record, this is the cage.  It is much more humane than it sounds.