Mountain City Montage
by PAULINE TOM
Holly and Val Cass discovered a killing field in their Live Oak Court backyard – remains of two cats. Holly says, “We suspect that coyotes are making it down to the Live Oak Court part of the city.”
Salli and Brian Wilson on Maple Drive (the wild side) found black and white remains. Someone heard a coyote right outside her window.
At Bunco, I heard a story of two dogs in Mountain City “tromped” with white-tail doe hooves. That story, we know. We put our elderly Starr down three years ago after such an attack.
I trudged heavy-footedly home at near-dark, putting to use a rattlesnake avoidance method.
“Rattlesnake avoidance classes” for canines seem common in West Texas and westward. Classes cost about $65. Trainers (including Humane Societies) use defanged rattlers and shock collars. Does anyone offer the classes around here?
Dr. Rosebrock says he’s never seen the number of rattlesnake bites that he’s seeing this year. Has he treated any cats? Not this year.
Dogs and cats are usually snake-bitten in the face or on the neck area, and sometimes on the paw. Rattlesnake venom and coral snake venom cause different reactions on pets. Rattlesnake: severe swelling, possible bleeding, and lethargy. Coral snake (sometimes hours later): weakness, vomiting, difficulty breathing.
A lady spent several days in a Corpus hospital in March 2008 after she tried to take a coral snake from her cat. On cats, if a coral snake manages to bite on the body (through the fluffy fur with its little mouth), it’s usually lethal. Last year was the first human death in the U.S. from a coral snake bite since the antivenin came out over 40 years ago.
Coral snake antivenin (Micrurus fulvius ) expires on October 31 of this year. According to the FDA website, the last batch was manufactured in 2003, due to lack of demand (translated “dollars”). The FDA twice extended the printed expiration date of 2008. Mexico produces a coral snake antivenin that the FDA has not approved.
Allergic reactions to antivenin can be life-threateningly severe.
Amy Hilton’s Pest Master suggested sulfur around fence lines and mothballs under raised sheds to act as a snake deterrent. Unfortunately, all over the Internet, universities and snake experts say that none of the products alleged to deter snakes work.
WARNING: One “folksy” site that does recommend sulfur warns, “Sulfur is not recommended if you have pets or small children.” And, mothballs are much worse – one of the top 10 poisons for pets. (If your pet consumes mothballs, do not induce vomiting. Seek veterinary care immediately.)
A recipe with an active ingredient of clove oil, cinnamon oil, or eugenol exists and is proven to work for “shooing” snakes (as they become defensive when hit with rocks). But (that’s a big BUT) the oil must be squirted directly on the snake’s head.
•••
Nothing deters me from asking for tidbits. Email ptom5678@gmail.com or leave a message at 512-268-5678.
Thanks! Love, Pauline
