Rattlesnake Gets Face Implant

Veterinarian Randy Junge has successfully cut out the highly toxic swollen venom gland of a 19-year-old Eastern diamondback rattlesnake at the Columbus Zoo. The gland was so large it was preventing the snake from eating. The area was then filled with silicone to keep the facial structure in place. Vets had first tried antibiotics and other treatments, but the gland kept on growing. The surgery was quite dangerous. If the venom dropped or sprayed from the venom sac during the removal, “it would be like getting bit,” Junge said after the surgery.