“Snakebite is a common occurrence for pet cats and dogs across the globe and can be fatal,” Dr Fry said. “This is primarily due to a condition called 'venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy' – where an animal loses its ability to clot blood and sadly bleeds to death.
Dogs do NOT build an immunity to snake venom NOR does having had antivenin treatment give your dog any protection against future envenomations.
Symptoms of a snake bite in dogs
Look out for symptoms such as leg weakness, shaking or pacing and general restlessness. Your dog may also have dilated pupils or be drooling more than usual, or could even be panting a lot or struggling to breathe. In extreme cases, your dog could even collapse or lose consciousness.
The hedgehog (Erinaceidae), the mongoose (Herpestidae), the honey badger (Mellivora capensis) and the opossum are known to be immune to a dose of snake venom.
Approximately 80% of pets survive snake bite if treated quickly. The survival rate is much lower however for pets that are left untreated, and death can occur. Recovery from a snake bite usually takes 24 to 48 hours if the pet receives prompt veterinary attention and the snake bite is not severe.
In Australia there may be 60,000 cases of snake bites per year of dogs and cats. Up to 15,000 deaths of pets may occur.
Dogs may react to a snake bite right away, or it may take up to 24 hours for symptoms to appear. Common symptoms of a snake bite on a dog include: Sudden weakness and possible collapse. Swollen area.
Cone Snail
Only a handful of people have ever been stung, but, quite unfortunately, there is no antivenom.
Mongooses are noted for their audacious attacks on highly venomous snakes, such as king cobras. The mongoose has a unique defense against most poisonous snakes. According to some, these predators have unique acetylcholine receptors that render them immune to a variety of venoms.
Their resistance is to the a-neurotoxin in snake venom, specifically. Domestic pigs have a genetic mutation in their cell receptors that prevents binding of the a-neurotoxin, rendering the venom useless. The resistance doesn't occur in most pigs until they are adults, so small pigs are still vulnerable.
Approximately 80% of pets survive a snake bite if treated quickly, so a prompt response is essential. This involves recognizing the initial symptoms of a snake bite and immediately seeking care.
Without treatment your dog will suffer miserably, and smaller dogs may succumb to the effects of the toxins in the venom. The cornerstone of treatment is intravenous fluids, pain meds and antivenin.
Approximately 150,000 dogs and cats in the United States are bitten by venomous snakes each year. It's unknown how many nonvenomous snake bites occur, as these bites rarely show up at veterinary clinics. Statistics show that approximately 80% of dogs survive venomous snake bites with prompt care.
Some dogs show a natural avoidance of things that hiss or rattle, but unfortunately some do not.
Guinea hens, turkeys, pigs, and cats will also help keep snakes away. If foxes are indigenous to your area, fox urine is a very good natural repellent for snakes when spread around your property.
Use Natural Predators
Snakes have a few natural predators that can help keep them away. Common snake predators include cats, raccoons, pigs, turkeys, guinea hens, and foxes. Keeping any of these animals around your home will help deter snakes from coming near.
Predators. The species' known predators include birds of prey and feral cats.
The only standardized specific treatment currently available for neutralizing the medically important effects of snake venom toxins is antivenom [8,9,12].
Intriguingly, opossums shrug off snake bite venom with no ill effects. Claire F. Komives, Ph. D., who is at San Jose State University, explains that initial studies showing the opossum's immunity to snake venom were done in the 1940s.
Can dogs survive rattlesnake bite without antivenom? Without treatment your dog will suffer miserably, and smaller dogs may succumb to the effects of the toxins in the venom. The cornerstone of treatment is intravenous fluids, pain meds and antivenin.
Blood clotting times and a snake venom detection kit using ideally a urine sample or swab from the site of the bite or blood can be used by your vet to identify if your pet has been bitten and the species of snake.
If you see a rattlesnake bite your dog, move quickly. Your dog will likely yelp and back off a bit, but he may try to fight the snake.
The adder is the only venomous species, grass snakes and smooth snakes aren't venomous and don't tend to bite. Adders tend to keep themselves to themselves and don't bite unless they are scared, unfortunately, dogs tend to approach them without fear, startle them and get bitten.
South Australia
Sand dunes are common breeding grounds for snakes of this region. Most of the venomous tend to be in this area. This is because it receives large amounts of sun but at the same time allows for enough cover for protection.