26 Aug Snake Bite
Snake Bite - What should I do?
Dogs will often try to chase or kill snakes resulting in snake bites usually to the dog’s face and legs. Cats, being hunters, are quite susceptible to snake bites.
The sort of reaction your pet has to a snake bite is determined by a number of factors: the type of snake, the amount of venom injected and the site of the snake bite. Generally the closer the bite is to the heart the quicker the venom spreads to the rest of the body. In addition, at the beginning of summer, snakes’ venom glands are fuller and their bites are much more severe.
At the Sunshine Coast the Eastern Brown snake is responsible for most of the snake bites in domestic pets. These snakes have a toxin that causes paralysis and also have an agent in them that uses up all the clotting factors that helps to stop your pet from bleeding.
Signs of snake bite include:
- Sudden weakness followed by collapse
- Shaking or twitching of the muscles and difficulty blinking
- Vomiting
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
- Dilated pupils
- Paralysis
- Blood in urine
If you think your pet has been bitten by a snake you should keep them calm and quiet and take them to Woombye Veterinary Surgery. The chances of recovery are much greater if your pet is treated early.
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