Snake season is here, and Werribee’s U-Vet Animal Hospital is calling on pet owners to know the signs of a bite to give their pets the best chance of survival.
U-Vet veterinarian Kylie Kelers said the hospital treats up to 75 snake bites each year, with both cats and dogs falling victim.
Two-year-old Jack Russell terrier Eddie had a brush with death earlier this year after he was bitten by a snake on his family’s Lara property.
Just hours after being bitten, Eddie had stopped breathing and needed an emergency transfer to U-Vet, where he spent 24 hours on life support in the intensive care unit before pulling through.
Eddie’s owner, Tamara Kerr, said although she didn’t see her pooch get bitten, she rushed him to the vet when she noticed that he was behaving unusually.
“I just knew something was wrong,” she said.
“It took him a long time to recover, but now he’s perfect … we’re really lucky there was no long-term damage.”
Dr Kelers said it was uncommon for snake bites to be witnessed, so owners should look out for signs such as vomiting, weakness or collapse, as well as enlarged pupils.
If snake bite is suspected, owners should get their pet to a vet as soon as possible.
Dr Kelers called on pet owners to clear their backyards of long grass and rubbish piles, and to keep dogs on lead when walking them near waterways or bushy areas, thereby preventing them being bitten in the first place.
