Content
- How to know if the snake is poisonous?
- Symptoms of snakebite in a dog
- Symptoms of non-venomous snakebite in dogs:
- Poisonous snakebite symptoms in dogs:
- How to treat a dog's snakebite
- Tourniquet for snake bite on dog
A snake bite can be very dangerous, andin some cases it is deadly if she has poison. For this reason, acting quickly and applying first aid techniques is very important.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain what to do in a specific case: snake bite on dog. In this situation, we should promptly identify whether or not it is poisonous and we'll show you how you can do this, as well as introduce techniques to help your furry companion. Good reading.
How to know if the snake is poisonous?
When a dog finds a snake, it may try to hunt it down or catch it. In this case, the snake will try to defend itself and attack the animal's face or neck. If, on the other hand, the dog has accidentally stepped on her, she may attack you in her legs or belly.
Recognizing a venomous snake is essential to know what the First aid to be applied in case of snake bite on a dog. We highlight that there are more than 3,000 species of snakes in the world and only 15% of them are, in fact, poisonous.
There is no definitive way to identify a venomous snake, but it is possible to observe some characteristics to help with that.
- non-venomous snakes: among the best known are the pythons, the rat snake and the snakes of the Colubridae family. Non-venomous snakes are usually diurnal, have no fangs (and when they do, they are posterior), have a more rounded head, and their pupils are also rounded.
- poisonous snakes: are usually nocturnal, have fangs in the anterior part of the jaw (to inject the venom), usually have a triangular-shaped head and their eyes are usually elliptical in shape.
In this other article we talk more about the types of non-venomous snakes.
Symptoms of snakebite in a dog
If you're not sure what kind of snake bit your dog or if it was actually a snake that attacked your dog, the symptoms it has will help you identify.
Symptoms of non-venomous snakebite in dogs:
- The bite is U-shaped.
- The dog does not show signs of severe pain, even if we manipulate the area.
- The bite is practically superficial.
- Remember that non-venomous snakes are usually diurnal.
Poisonous snakebite symptoms in dogs:
- The sting highlights the marks of the two tusks.
- The dog has a sharp pain, especially if we manipulate the wound, and he may react defensively.
- Accumulation of fluid in the wound, forming edema.
- Capillary damage due to rupture of blood vessels.
- Small hemorrhages.
- Vomiting, diarrhea and tachycardia.
- The dog does not accept food or drink and prefers to lie down.
- The pricked area becomes paralyzed and loses sensation.
- Here we highlight once again that venomous snakes are generally nocturnal and twilight.
How to treat a dog's snakebite
Here we explain the step by step you should follow if you are facing a case of snake bite on dog.
We start with the protocol if you know it's a NON poisonous snake:
- Contact your trusted veterinarian to explain what happened.
- Scrape the hair from the bitten area with a dog blade, but if you don't have one, use a human razor blade.
- Gently clean the wound with soap diluted in water.
- Cover the wound with a bandage or gauze fixed with tape.
- Observe the dog's symptoms after the snake bite for 3 to 4 hours.
The next thing to do is go to the vet, who probably will prescribe antibiotics and, in some cases, it may be necessary to apply tetanus vaccine.
The measurements after a snakebite on a dog will vary if it is a poisonous snake:
- Reassure your dog by asking him to lie down while you calm him down.
- Contact your veterinarian and explain the situation so that you know what steps to take.
- Shave your dog's fur with a razor blade, if possible, unless the sound of the razor blade or razor makes him excessively uncomfortable.
- Clean the wound with soap diluted in water.
- Avoid giving your dog anything to drink or medication of any kind unless your veterinarian has recommended it.
- Go to the vet.
Tourniquet for snake bite on dog
Remember that a venomous snakebite can kill your dog, who must be given an antitoxin to prevent venom reactions. Only if the vet is too far away is that we recommend a tourniquet, which is a type of home remedy for snakebite in dogs.
- If possible, make a tight tourniquet with the help of a dressing over the wound. However, if the dog has been bitten in an area that is not a limb, you will not be able to do this.
- Every 10 to 15 minutes, remove the tourniquet for 5 minutes, this way you will avoid tissue damage and allow for irrigation of the limb.
- Go to a veterinarian within two hours at most, otherwise the dog could lose his limb and even his life. There he will likely prescribe anti-inflammatories and diuretics.
Now that you know how to proceed in case of snakebite in a dog, in this other article, we talk about first aid for snakebite in humans.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Snake bite on a dog, what to do?, we recommend that you enter our First Aid section.