Close encounters of the venomous kind: keeping pets safe during snake season

Snakes are common in nearly all outdoor environments and typically would much rather be left alone than defend themselves against humans or animals. When they do feel the need to strike, our curious animal companions are often the ones at risk — especially if the snake is venomous. 

Dr. Christine Rutter, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, helps pet owners prepare for the potential risk of snake bites this summer.

Identifying Snake Bites

Texas is home to several species of venomous snakes; in addition to being able to identify the type of snake that bites your pet, being able to identify a snake bite itself is important in the event that your pet encounters a snake beyond your watch.

“Snakes like copperheads and rattlesnakes will leave a bitten animal with localized swelling and significant pain,” Rutter said. “It is also common for there to be a visible bite mark of 1-2 punctures that may trickle bloody fluid spontaneously.”

If the bite goes untreated, the surrounding tissue can begin to blacken and die in a process called necrosis. Venom also can inhibit normal blood clotting and/or cause neurologic signs like seizures and decreased alertness.

“Bites from other snake species, like the coral snake, are less obvious and sometimes cannot be identified,” Rutter said. “Envenomation can induce muscle weakness, irregular walking, an acute inability to swallow, and red blood cell destruction. Severe cases can cause weakness so severe that a pet may require help to breathe.”

While dogs are most commonly bitten on the head and cats are most commonly bitten on the paws, a snake bite is possible in any location.

“Pets bitten on the head or face should have their collars removed so that swelling does not cause choking,” Rutter said. 

The best course of action following a snakebite — or even just the assumption of one — is to usher your pet to the veterinarian immediately.

“Owners should not attempt to capture or kill any snakes that tangle with pets,” Rutter said. “Photographs that include the head, the tail, and the pattern on the scales are the best thing to bring to your veterinarian. There are also social media sites that provide free, useful identification.

“There are no treatments that can be administered at home that will lessen the effects of snake venom, and many medications that owners have on hand can complicate envenomations,” Rutter said. “So it’s important that pet owners seek veterinary care after a snake bite as soon as possible.

“Snake bites are a true emergency,” she said. “Go directly to a veterinarian to seek help for your pet’s health and well-being.”

Counteracting The Venom

The way a veterinarian may treat a snake bite is highly dependent on the type of snake and the amount of venom it injects into a pet. 

“Veterinarians are typically pretty good at knowing the clinical signs of envenomation by different types of snakes in their region,” Rutter said. “There are also social media sites that provide free expert snake identification. Owners are allowed to post on these sites and knowing the identity of the snake can help determine if treatment is definitely indicated. 

“Don’t feel the need to bring the snake to the veterinary hospital — a picture will do nicely if you can acquire it safely. If possible, get a clear photo that includes the head, face, and tail,” she said. 

Assessments typically begin with a physical examination and running blood tests to determine if the animal needs to be given antivenom to counteract the reaction. 

 “The amount of antivenom required is dependent on how much venom the patient received, so it’s common to give more than one vial and decide on continued administration based on the patient’s response to treatment,” Rutter said. 

However, coral snake antivenom is extremely difficult for veterinarians to acquire and, as a result, is unavailable to nearly all veterinary hospitals.

“Coral snake envenomation is treated by providing supportive care while the patient processes the venom,” Rutter said. “Complete recovery from a snake bite can be relatively straightforward or require extensive treatment and recovery time — it just depends on the snake and the amount of venom they administer.”

Coexisting At A Distance

Although it’s impossible to completely rid an outdoor environment of snakes, the best prevention is removing snake-friendly habitats from places pets frequent.

Some snake-friendly areas to remove or to steer your pet clear from include:

• Leaf litter
• Objects snakes can hide underneath
• Shrubs and tall grass
• Swampy areas
• Rodent-heavy areas

“Snake repellents are sold commercially and passed down as folklore, but they aren’t really effective,” Rutter said.

Supervising a pet’s activity and working to make their environment less hospitable to snakes are the only things that can help mitigate the threat of nature’s fanged inhabitants. With careful attention and prompt veterinary care, owners can ensure that their pets stay safe and bite-free this snake season.

By Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

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