Dog owners warned after rise in snake bites this summer
Wednesday March 3, 2010
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Kidman Way Veterinary Surgery assistant Prue Chambers with some of the snake
anti-venom kept at the practice, which has been used multiple times this summer.
Cobar residents are being warned to keep an eye on their pets after a spike in the number of dogs bitten by snakes.
The Kidman Way Veterinary Surgery has reported treating a higher number of dogs for snake bites this summer than in previous years.
Veterinarian Dr Mary-Jane Stutsel said she treats a few dogs each summer for snake bites.
“This year we have had a fair few more.
“I treated three dogs in one day for bites,” Dr Stutsel said.
The Australian Veterinary Association said hot weather and dry conditions has pushed snakes into areas where they are likely to come into human contact.
Dr Stutsel said snakes are also most likely to be found where they have a food source.
“They could be near water, or wherever mice or frogs are in abundance,” she said.
“Snakes are more active in the cooler part of the day, like in the evening.”
The most common snake bites which have occurred in the Cobar area have been from King Brown and Western Brown snakes.
Dr Stutsel advises pet owners to keep a close eye on their dog if they suspect it might be the victim of a snake bite.
“The important thing to realise is that there is treatment options available.
“If you notice your dog doing anything out of the ordinary, you should contact your vet,” she said.
Dr Stutsel said in cases of fatal snake bites in dogs, around 80 per cent don’t die until up to seven hours after the bite.
“If you suspect your dog has been bitten, you have plenty of time to get treatment for your pet,” she said.
She said some pets will instantly react to a bite by collapsing but appear to recover a short time later.
“This ‘apparent recovery’ is not a sign that everything is ok, in fact, it is usually a sign of a very severe bite,” Dr Stutsel said.
“In these cases it is particularly important to get to the vet as soon as possible.”
Symptoms of snake bites could include seizures, vomiting, bleeding around the bite area, weakness in the limbs and collapse, however Dr Stutsel said there are a lot of variables in how the dog will react.
“It depends on the dog, the type of snake, the severity of the bite, and lots of other factors as to how they will react.
“If you see a dog near a snake, you should assume it has been bitten and monitor the dog closely afterwards,” she said.
“There are lots of treatment options available but the highest success is from the use of anti-venom, but you should call and discuss this with your vet.”
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