If your dog or cat has been bitten by a snake you may observe signs such as salivation, dilated pupils, changes in behaviour, vomiting and diarrhoea or an unsteady gait when walking and even collapse.
How you can help your pet:
- Call your vet immediately for advice – early treatment greatly increases the chance that your pet will survive a snake bite. If it is out of normal business hours, ring a pet emergency hospital.
- Unless the snake is dead do not try to identify it - we can perform a snake envenomation test.
- Try and keep your pet calm and avoid excessive movement.
- Transport your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Things to avoid:
- Do not try and kill the snake to bring it in. You will be placing yourself in unnecessary danger and it may be a protected species of snake.
- Do not need to suck the venom out or cut the skin at the wound site as some have suggested in the past.
- While a gentle pressure bandage can be helpful first aid, applying a high pressure bandage or tourniquet is not recommended.
Advanced Vetcare is a 24hr emergency veterinary clinic. Map and Directions are available here.