The most common venomous snake in the Triangle area is the Copperhead snake. The copperhead’s bite is rarely fatal, but can cause serious reactions to humans and pets alike. Other venomous snakes which are sometimes seen in the area include the rattlesnake (pigmy, canebreak) and water mocassin (cottonmouth). Down towards the coast, you might encounter a coral snake or a diamondback rattlesnake. Typically cats and dogs are bitten on the face, in the mouth, or on the feet.
Scarlet king snakes are more common, but they aren't venomous. They look like coral snakes, but with a slightly different color pattern. "Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black, friend of Jack." This means if the red and yellow stripes are touching, it's a venomous coral snake. If the red and black stripes are touching, it's the non-venomous species.
Frequently, we get reports from clients that their dog was bitten while killing the snake to protect their owners! Other times the bite is not witnessed, but the animal returns from outside with a swollen face or foot.
Signs of a snake bite usually appear within 30 minutes of the bite and include:
- Intense pain/swelling of affected area
- Panting and discomfort
- Bleeding from puncture site
- Lameness, if bitten on a leg or foot
- Drooling, if bitten around the mouth
- Bruising
If you suspect your animal has been bitten by a snake, seek a veterinarian’s care! While the copperhead’s bite is typically not fatal to a healthy animal, the consequences of a bite are painful and can be treated by your veterinarian. If your animal is geriatric (older than 8years) or has a medical condition, the copperhead’s bite can be life threatening. Regardless of the specifics of the pet or the snake, seek veterinary care if you suspect a snakebite. Prompt treatment for any animal suspected to be a snake bite victim is essential. Don't try to catch or kill the snake; you don't want to be a victim too!
Most people think that anti-venom is essential or else the pet will die. Not true. Most animals recover well with treatment that does not include anti-venom. Anti-venom is also very expensive and not always available. The tricky part is you have to decide on whether or not to use it early on, before you know how bad the patient is going to be. Again, ask your vet.
- Here is a good website on the snakes of North Carolina
- Here's a good website for information on snake bites in pets
Raley got bit on the face by a copperhead (her muzzle is usually about 1/2 this size)! She did well with a combination of steroids and antihistamines.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment