Snake bite (envenomation) is unfortunately quite common in our area.
Common Symptoms Common signs include progressive weakness, paralysis, vomiting, bloody urine, dilated pupils, seizure, and collapse with sudden death. Quite often cats will be presented to the vet as “floppy” after the owner has noticed that they are sleeping more than usual. Some dogs will walk as though they are drunk prior to sudden collapse. Background Australian snakes produce a range of toxins that can cause damage to muscles / blood and the nervous system. Any pet that suffers from sudden collapse or paralysis without warning may have venom traveling through their system. Treatment Specific antivenom is required for different snakes. If it is unknown what type of snake bite has occurred, a combination antivenom is administered. Because of a risk of allergy to the antivenom itself antihistamines and steroids are given prior to administration. Antivenom is expensive and sometimes multiple doses are required. At the same time intravenous fluids are required to flush toxins out of the body and prevent further damage to internal organs. Animals that are paralysed by snake bite often cannot breathe for themselves and require oxygen and in extreme cases a mechanical ventilator to breathe for them. Paralysed animals also struggle to urinate, so will need their bladder manually expressed for them multiple times per day to prevent rupture. Most pets lose the ability to swallow and need to be constantly monitored and fed carefully to avoid pneumonia. Risks Risks of snake bite range from bleeding, kidney damage, stroke, muscle damage to rapid death. Time is critical for treatment and the earlier that treatment is started, the more successful the outcome. Diagnosis by the vet If there is time to determine snake bite, blood tests for muscle breakdown products / blood clotting times and a basic organ function test will be run. In cases where there is no time to run tests, due to the patient deteriorating, treatment may need to be started based on clinical signs alone. Challenges The real challenge for pet owners is recognising signs of possible snake bite and getting to a clinic that stocks antivenom as quickly as possible. Complex treatment Snake bite often requires a minimum of 2-3 days in hospital with intensive care and may require more than one dose of antivenom, some animals will require mechanical ventilation and oxygen if they cannot breathe properly. The death rate for pets from snake bites is unfortunately quite high and dependant on observation by owners and quick treatment. If you are unsure if your animal has been bitten or if you have multiple animals and one may have been bitten the best course of action is to bring ALL of the suspects into the clinic for a quick assessment and observation. Many pets die every year when owners wait too long to seek treatment. Snake bite is expensive to treat - finance is available through Vetpay - speak to our client care team about pre approval.Phone 03-5472 5477 or for after hours emergency care ph 0407 804 579
