OMgosh, I laughed so hard over your detailed description...blow by blow.
Ok sorry, don't mean to laugh...I know how awful it is to have any type of phobia. You did actually master that beast after awhile.
My Zhoie is a wild thing going after flies and she will also scavanger after anything that crawls...yuck!
Oh and she loves dried up worm on the patio...I really have to be quick to beat her to them.