To kill and fear. Seems to be the message here.

http://www.empiretribune.com/article...5893870546.txt

By AMANDA KIMBLE
Staff Writer
amanda.kimble@empiretribune.com
Published: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 11:07 AM CDT
The Empire-Tribune reported Sunday that a rattlesnake bit an unidentified toddler playing in the yard of his Erath County home Saturday, May 24.

Days later, Klaas Schievink, 3, was back to the business of being a happy toddler, running and playing as though nothing ever happened while his mother Vicki reminded Klaas and his four-year-old sister, Jordan, of the dangers lurking around their home.

Vicki explained the incident actually occurred as the family was departing from their home.
“The snake was on the carport between the car and garage,” Vicki said. “We don’t have a lot of grass around our home, it is mostly concrete.”

She said it was there, near their home, away from grass and nearby fields that the attack occurred.

“We were leaving the house when he was bitten,” Vicki said. “My kids were running out of the house to get into the car. My four-year-old was in front and had obviously seen the snake. She never really slowed down, she jumped right over it.”

Vicki said she has warned all of her three children on the dangers of snakes.

“My kids fear snakes,” Vicki said. “They have been told many times if they see a snake, back up.”

It was a lesson that Jordan remembered well, a lesson that probably saved her from being bitten. Klaas, trailing eagerly behind his big sister, was not so fortunate.

“I don’t think he ever saw the snake,” Vicki said. “It struck him three times. He got bit between his arch and heel. There were puncture marks on his shoe in the same area, the fangs had punctured the rubber sole of his shoe twice.”

Vicki said although she was shaken and had problems dialing the phone, she immediately called 911 and an ambulance was dispatched. After a grueling hour and five minutes, help arrived. Through the waiting, she contemplated driving to the hospital or at least heading out to meet the ambulance. The dispatcher, waiting on the phone for help to arrive, advised her to stay put.

“They took a wrong turn and went toward Dublin; they were delayed by about 25 minutes because of the wrong turn,” Vicki said. “I live near the intersection of FM 914 and Hwy. 6, right there on the corner. They turned. I think they went all the way (to Dublin) before they turned around.”

She said the long-awaited responders laid Klaas on a table to inspect the wound.

“There was blood all over his leg,” Vicki said. “He (the EMT) drew a circle around the puncture wounds. He (Klaas) was not hysterical; in fact, he wasn’t even upset until they started working on him. He just wanted a Band-Aid. He wanted to be done with the whole thing.”

Klaas and Vicki were both taken to Harris Methodist Erath County where emergency room personnel contacted the family’s pediatrician.

“They took his blood at the hospital in Stephenville and the clotting in his blood was a little high,” Vicki said. “Dr. Shah wanted him sent immediately to Cook’s Children’s Hospital.”

The Teddy Bear Ambulance look the mother and son to the children’s hospital in Fort Worth where more blood was drawn and the staff observed the toddler’s condition for about four hours.

“Then, they sent us home,” Vicki said. “They showed us what to watch for and that was it.”

She said she learned a few things from the incident.

“Due to the blood clotting, it was apparent that some venom had entered his blood,” Vicki said. “But I did learn at the hospital that one out of five bites are what they call ‘dry bites’, they release no venom and are more of a warning than an actual attack.”

Vicki feels certain that her son’s shoes offered a good deal of protection.

“Chances are his rubber sole shoes took the brunt of the blow ,” Vicki said. “It is also possible the snake had released a good amount of venom into the shoe before striking his foot.”

Protection and prevention is going to be a focus for the Schievink family.

“They know they ‘re not going outside without their shoes on,” Vicki said. “I even went to Tractor Supply and bought some ‘Snake-Be-Gone.’ I spread it all around the house.”

She said the family, who owns a dairy and lives on a ranch, is very aware that snakes are out in full force.

“The next day, after he was bit, workers at our dairy killed two more rattlesnakes,” Vicki said. “We are now, more than ever, aware of the danger.”

Hope its a rat bite next time.