Warning to pet owners: Warm, wet weather brings snakes to homes
When the weather gets warm and there is a lot of rain, snakes become more active. Often, snakes get washed out of their normal habitat and start looking for food in other places, such as in the homes of the residents of Texas, where quite a few pets have been bitten. This situation has kept vets and snake catchers rather busy. Residents have had to cut and clear grass in their yards to ensure there are no places for the snakes to hide.
Dogs and cats are particularly vulnerable, and veterinary treatment is necessary as soon as possible when they are bitten. The quicker you can get your pet to the vet, the better the chances of survival will be.
A pet owner that I know was very relieved to still have their young Labrador, who was bitten, and the only reason that her dog is still alive is because they got the dog to the vets quickly. It will still, be a long time before the poor animal fully recovers and it’s unlikely that they will allow the dog to be off the leash, but it’s better than the alternative.
Warm weather brings more snakes
Snake catchers who deal with these incidents say that they are kept busy during warm, wet weather. They say that many dogs have lost their lives due to snake bites. However, statistics show that a high number of pets can survive. In about 80% of cases, the animals can recover.
If your pet shows the symptoms listed here or you are witness to the bite, do not delay. Pick your animal up and get to the closest vet, do not cross town to see your favorite one. Time is of the essence.
The symptoms your pet will experience if it is bitten and which you need to look out for are:
- Shaking
- Twitching uncontrollably
- Vomiting
- Sudden muscle weakness leading to collapse
- Blood in the urine
- Dilated pupils which do not seem to respond to light.
Time is the crucial factor. If you act quickly enough, your pet can make a full recovery. Just make sure you take a good care of your wounded buddy.
If you have any comments then please drop us a message on our Outdoor Revival Facebook page
If you have a good story to tell or blog let us know about it on our FB page, we’re also happy for article or review submissions, we’d love to hear from you.
We live in a beautiful world, get out there and enjoy it.
Outdoor Revival – Reconnecting us all with the Outdoors