By Miranda Sevier

April showers bring May flowers, and in Texas that means seeing bluebonnets blooming in fields and along roadsides, but with the recent rains flowers are blossoming sooner. At the entrance of the subdivision where I live, there are fields on either side where hundreds of bluebonnets grow every spring. There are many times that I have driven by and seen cars that are pulled over taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. Other times people have their families and family pets jump the fence so they could get a picture of them in our states flower. While they are thinking about who sits where and in what position they are not thinking about what could possibly be hiding in the bluebonnets. There could be anything from prickly plants to ants or even snakes! That’s right, rattlesnakes are out around this time and like to hide in the flowers. When you take your pets with you to join in on the pictures they might wonder away and stumble upon a snake by accident. Treatment of a snakebite is an emergency and can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. We offer a rattlesnake vaccine that can reduce the impact of a snakebite and reduce treatment cost. Once the rattlesnake vaccine is given it requires a booster a month later then would be needed annually. It works by stimulating you pets’ immunity to neutralize the venom inserted when your dog is bitten. Even if your dog is vaccinated, you should bring them in for an evaluation following a snakebite. For more questions about the rattlesnake vaccine please feel free to call our clinic. Have a safe and happy spring everyone.