Snake season has begun here at Hobsons Bay Vet Clinic. With the warmer spring weather finally looming so do snakes. Snakes bring no harm, however if threatened will bite any curious cat or dog.
High snake areas include- Newport Lakes, Cherry Lake, Jawbone Reserve, Altona Coastal Park, Point Gellibrand, Newport Park, Newport Riverside Park, Stony Creek, Doug Grant Reserve and Truganina Park.
Our first snake bite patient came in last week and we have since had a report of another patient present at emergency. Most of our snake bite patients are cats. Outdoor cats love to explore and come across many adventures. Unfortunately a large population of people in Hobsons Bay live near snake hotspots. We recommend looking at investing in an outdoor cat run. While we do see snake bitten dogs, luckily it’s easier to keep them safe. Keeping dogs on lead and visiting non-threatening off lead parks like Yarraville Gardens will help reduce your dog’s risk of encountering a snake.
Signs of snake bite include- weakness or wobbly gait, vomiting, dilated pupils, increased breathing rate (or open mouth breathing), blood in urine.
If you think your pet has been bitten by a snake remain calm and go to the vet as soon as possible. If you are able to ring whilst on your way that is great so we can prepare the antivenom.