Symptoms of a Snake Bite Bleeding, bruising, and swelling around the site of the bite wound Excessive swelling on the area of the body the bite occurred (for example, if the bite was on the head the dog’s whole head may begin to balloon within a matter of minutes) Colour changes to the tissue surrounding the wound such as red, blue, and black as the tissue dies Signs of shock such as pale gums, cool skin, and tremors Weakness, lethargy, confusion, and lack of coordination Vomiting Slow respiration Sudden weakness followed by collapse. Fang marks may or may not be visible, due to dog or cats hair. Pain. Blood does not clot. Neurological signs such as twitching, drooling, shaking or twitching of the muscles and difficulty blinking Loss of bladder and bowel control. Dilated pupils. Ascending paralysis (hind legs affected first). Blood in urine. What You Should Do Once a dog is bitten by a venomous snake there are a few factors that affect his chances of survival. First, someone must see the dog getting bitten. Second, if your dog was bitten on his chest, his risk is far higher than if he was bitten on his paw. Proximity to the heart increase risk of bleeding and irrevocable tissue damage due to a venomous snake bite. If you think your pet has been bitten by a snake you should keep your pet calm & quiet and take it to a vet immediately. Try to keep the dog as still as possible after the bite occurred and during transport. The chances of recovery are greater if your pet is treated early, with some pets making a recovery within 48 hours. Pets left untreated have a much lower survival rate and many die. If your vet is very far away, you can apply a pressure bandage – a firm bandage over and around the bite site - to help slow the venom spreading to the heart. Make sure you do not cut off circulation to a limb that has suffered a snake bite. Do NOT wash the wound or apply a tourniquet. Never try to cut into the bite wound or suck out the venom. Do not apply ice or heat to the wound. If you can identify the snake tell your veterinarian - but don’t try to catch or kill the snake. If it is dead, bring the snake with you, otherwise there is a blood or urine test that can identify whether your animal has been bitten and the type of snake responsible. Once the snake has been identified your vet can administer antivenom. Please be warned that antivenom is quite expensive and can result in a hefty veterinary bill, so best to try and keep your pets as safe as possible.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:45:06 +0000
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