Do you know what to do if a snake bites your pet?

 

The summer months are always risky for encounters between pets and snakes. Here’s how to handle the situation if your pet gets bitten. Also, find out how to minimise the chances of them meeting a snake in the first place. 

In Australia, all snake bites or suspected snake bites should be treated as life-threatening.

You may not see it happen and it’s not always easy to see a bite mark, so knowing what signs to look out for is important.

The sooner your pet is treated, the better their chances of survival.

Symptoms of snake bite

– Laboured breathing
– Weakness in the hind legs
– Shaking or twitching
– Sudden whole body weakness and collapse
– Vomiting and/or diarrhea
– Excessive drooling or frothing at the mouth
– Loss of bladder and bowel control
– Bloody urine
– Dilated pupils
– Paralysis

Onset of symptoms will usually happen in a few minutes but it’s worth keeping in mind that symptoms can appear up to 24 hours after a bite.

What to do

Stay calm, keep your pet calm, and keep them as still as possible. 

Check your pet’s head, legs and neck to see if you can locate the bite. It may not be easy to tell if they have been bitten. There may not be much pain or swelling, so the bite might not be obvious.

Take them to the nearest vet as soon as you can. Carry your pet to the car if possible; walking will risk spreading venom through their body to their heart. Let the vet know you are on your way so they can be ready for your arrival.

If there’s no vet nearby and the bite is to a limb, apply a pressure immobilisation bandage before taking your pet to a vet. The bandage should cover the entire limb, from the paw to the base of the limb.

The bandage shouldn’t be too tight or it will restrict blood flow. Wrap the limb like you would for a sprain. Don’t worry about cleaning the wound. Pressure immobilisation bandages are only useful for bites on a limb.

Take note of the colour and patterns of the snake if you see it, in case the information is useful to the vet, but don’t go near the snake.

What not to do

DON’T try to catch or kill the snake.
DON’T wash the bite.
DON’T apply a tight tourniquet that will restrict blood flow.
DON’T cut, suck or apply any other treatments to the bite.

Only a vet can properly treat a snake bite

The survival rate for pets bitten by snakes is around 80% if they have been treated by a vet. Some animals can fully recover within 48 hours — it largely depends on the time between being bitten and getting treatment, the size of your dog, and the location of the bite.

Never assume that first aid will be enough to protect your pet from a snake bite. A vet must check them over and give them anti-venom as necessary. Vets can do a blood or urine test that can identify if your pet has been bitten and by what type of snake. 

Not every vet clinic stocks anti-venom, so always ring ahead to confirm they can provide treatment for a probable snake bite.

Lower the chances of your pet being bitten

  • Keep your grass short.

  • Cover holes in the ground.

  • Keep shrubs and trees trimmed.

  • Remove creeping vines and vegetation from fences.

  • Remove piles of leaf litter, garden rubbish, building scraps, bricks and rocks.

  • Make sure you don’t have rodents running around enticing snakes to hunt.

  • Remove water sources like leaking outdoor taps, ponds and unemptied paddling pools.

  • Snake-proof your fences if you think your location needs it. Close up all gaps and attach a material that’s hard for a snake to grip onto. Keep your gates closed.

  • Don’t walk your dog in long grass at the park. 

  • Keep your dog on a close lead and don’t let them roam free in uncontrolled, unknown spaces, especially in bushland near water in summer.

 
Adele Niccol