‘Tis the time of year that we vets seeย an increased incidence of snake bites– both venomous and non-venomous. Dr. James Murray of Heartwood Animal Hospital in Youngsville, North Carolina, explains what to do and what not to do if your pet gets in a tussle with a slithering serpent.
“Most dogs tend to be bitten on their face or front limbs, and the bite site will always be very painful regardless if it was from a poisonous snake.ย Localized swelling, puncture wounds from the fangs, and weakness are all signs that your pet may have been bitten by a snake.ย Identifying the snake is always helpful if you see the bite happen, but please do not risk your own safety to try and kill the snake or get a closer look.ย Research shows that over 80% of snake bites in humans occur from trying to handle or kill a snake.ย Please see the attached link […]ย that has some information on how to tell if a snake is venomous or not along with how to avoid them in the water.
First aid and treatment for snake bites have changed dramatically over the last quarter of a century.ย Things you should NO LONGER do for a snake bite because this can cause worsening symptoms of a bite include:
1) DO NOT Apply ice to the wound
2) DO NOT Try to place a tourniquet around the affected limb
3) DO NOT try to ‘suck out the venom’ (True Grit, anyone?)
4) DO NOT make any cuts around the bite wound
Things you SHOULD DO if your pet is bitten by a snake
1) Contact your veterinarian and inform them what type of snake it may have been.
2) Keep your pet (and yourself!!!) as calm as possible.ย This includes do not continually do self examinations of the bite site as this is going to be very painful.
3) If the bite wound occurred on a limb, you may attempt to immobilize it with a splint.
4) Oral Benadryl (diphenhydramine) at a dose of 1mg/lb may be given once if you are unable to bring your pet to a veterinarian right away.ย If you are able to bring to a veterinarian right away I suggest waiting on this, as the hospital will most likely give a Benadryl injection which works much faster than the oral route.
Venomous snakes in the United States include copperheads, rattlesnakes, water moccasins, cottonmouths, and coral snakes. Many other venomous snake species may be found in other parts of the world.
All snake bites will cause local pain and swelling, but depending on the severity of the bite may also cause conditions including low blood pressure, kidney damage, and blood clotting disorders.ย Because of this, all dog and cats need to see a veterinarian immediately.ย Diagnostics including a complete blood cell count and blood chemistry should always be performed. ย Medications and treatments indicated may include antibiotics, steroids, antihistamines, intravenous fluids, and pain control.ย Anti-venom is no longer carried by most veterinary hospitals as this treatment has become controversial due to potential allergic reactions (along with very expensive).ย If a specialty/emergency hospital still does care the anti-venom, it is typically only effective if given within 4 hours of the bite.ย It is also important to know that some illnesses from a snake bite will not develop until a few days after the bite, therefore careful monitoring and repeating lab work is sometimes needed for the safety of your pet.”
Learn how to manage your pet’s bee stings and spider bites!
Article used with permission. For Dr. Murray’s full blog entry, click on the link to visit his clinic’s website. And if you’re in the Raleigh, NC area, check out Heartwood Animal Hospital in Youngsville.
Dr. James Murray was born in Yorktown, VA and studied biochemistry and animal sciences at Virginia Tech. He was then accepted into the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2015. During his years in veterinary school, he focused his studies in small animal medicine with a particular interest in dentistry and orthopedics. He also completed a two month study abroad program in India focusing on zoonotic diseases and parasitology, along with working with elephants. He is an active member with the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology (AAVD). As an avid dog lover, he adopted a beagle mix named Minnie during his first year of veterinary school. They actively train in agility and enjoy long trail runs together. Besides spending time with his dog, he also enjoys golfing, tennis, ice hockey, and playing board games. Dr. Murray’s wifeย Chelsea is also a veterinarian practicing with both farm and companion animals.