'Stopped breathing': Vet warning as summer of snake bites continues
The past summer has been one of the worst for snake encounters due to a combination of reasons, and vets are continuing to warn pet owners to remain cautious.
There have been huge spikes of pets being treated for snake bites, as a result of the La Nina rainfall, high rodent numbers and snake breeding season, with many in close proximity to people's homes.
It's what the owners of four-year-old American Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bella were faced with when they found their pup collapsed and a dead snake in the backyard.
By the time Bella was presented to Animal Emergency Centre Midland clinic, she had already stopped breathing.
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Bella was found collapsed at home and had stopped breathing by the time she arrived at the vet clinic. Supplied
"When we have a patient like Bella present at the centre, there are many jobs to do and they all need to happen at the same time," the clinic explained.
"While one team secured her airway and started ventilation, another team took charge of taking blood samples to run clotting time and muscle enzyme tests while our Veterinarians administered medications to stabilise her heart function."
Within minutes she was a little more stable and blood results confirmed that Bella was already showing all the signs of envenomation.
"She was given two vials of combined tiger/brown snake antivenom while we continued to breathe for her as her muscles were still paralysed. After an hour, Bella started to take little breaths on her own and after 90 minutes she was able to breathe unassisted."
Her owners found a dead snake in their backyard. Supplied
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"Two hours later after first being carried through the door, this tough little lady was able to stand and walk on her own," the clinic said.
She continued to improve and after an overnight stay in hospital for ongoing monitoring, was discharged home the next day.
Veterinarian Dr Hannah Beveridge says if a pet owner suspects their pet has been bitten by a snake, clients must call ahead to their vet, as driving to an out of hours centre only to find that they are closed will cause a delay in treatment and could be distressing for everyone.
And in this case, time is always of the essence.
Thankfully, Bella was able to make a full recovery and return home to her family. Supplied
Dog owners should be aware of the signs of snake bites, which include:
- salivation
- trembling
- change in breathing
- collapse
- weakness
- un-co-ordination
"Some of these signs may appear at first, but they may get a bit better just before the pet suddenly deteriorates," says Dr Beveridge.
"In this case, pet owners may think their pet is fine and ignore the initial symptoms, only to find that their pet rapidly deteriorates and then sadly passes away."
In the event that a pet is bitten, or you suspect your pet may have encountered a snake, Dr Beveridge says it's important to keep your pet calm and limit their movements.
And when it comes to reducing the likelihood of you and your pets encountering a snake, Dr Beveridge offers the following advice:
- Keep grass short and remove any debris that snakes may use as shelter.
- Avoid off-lead roaming in snake-prone areas.
- Ensure you don't leave pet food out overnight. Leftover food can attract rodents which, in turn, attract snakes.
- Don't leave water bowls outside if your pet is not out as this can attract snakes
- Monitor your pet closely if walking in high-risk areas where reptiles are likely to be.