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This subject is very close at
home for me as our cat was recently bitten by a snake. We didn't realize that is what happened for a couple days when we took
him to the vet. We had just thought our lab Willow may have played a bit too rough with him. Let me tell you it is expensive!
Over $600 spent so far! He is doing very well thankfully, but he is not pretty to look at. He is in the process of growing
back his skin, unfortunately he lost a lot of neck muscle, but he is a strong fighter and will be ok.
Snake Bite Safety and Prevention Tips(from ASPCA)
If you frequently hike or otherwise enjoy
the great outdoors with your pet, please take care to prevent painful encounters with snakes. Bites occur most often in between
March and October when snakes are most active. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), a snake bite is
always considered an emergency—a venomous snake bite can be fatal if not treated immediately, and even a bite from a
nonvenomous snake can be dangerous for your pets.
The APCC would like to offer the following tips for snake bite safety
around pets:
Avoid chance encounters with snakes:
•Keep your yard tidy by clearing away undergrowth, toys
and tools that make great hiding places for snakes.
•Keep walkways clear of brush, flowers and shrubs.
•Clean
up any spilled food, fruit or bird seed, which can attract rodents—and therefore snakes—to your yard.
•When
walking your pet, keep him on a leash.
•Steer your pet clear of long grasses, bushes and rocks.
•Snakes
can strike across a distance equal to about half their body length. If you see a snake, head back the way you came.
•Familiarize
yourself with snakes who are common in your area. In the event of a bite, identifying the type of snake may help with your
pet’s treatment.
Recognize snake bite symptoms:
•Local or general swelling
•Bleeding
•Intense
pain
•Low blood pressure
•Dead tissue around the wound
•Shortness of breath
•Weakness
•Renal failure
What to do if you think your pet’s been bitten:
•Remember to stay calm.
•Keep
your pet calm, too, by limiting his activity.
•If your pet was bitten on the neck, remove his collar.
•If
possible, keep the location of the bite below heart level.
•Seek veterinary care for your pet immediately.
•Treatment
options such as cold packs, ice, tourniquets, alcohol, bleeding the wound and trying to suck out venom should not be attempted
in place of getting your pet to the vet—they may just waste precious time.
•Always keep your personal safety
in mind and do not try to catch or kill a snake yourself.
•Even if you think a snake is dead, never handle him.
Some dead snakes are capable of inflicting a bite by muscle contractions.
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