This study, which surveyed veterinary clinics in Queensland, reported an average of 12 cases of snake envenomation in dogs each year per clinic.
In Australia there may be 60,000 cases of snake bites per year of dogs and cats. Up to 15,000 deaths of pets may occur.
Time of onset of signs- rapidity of onset of signs is related to dose received. In dogs it is usually 1-2 hours (but maybe 6.5 hrs) & cats it is about 15hr (up to 24hr).
But while there are only a couple of deaths each year, it's estimated there are about 3,000 snakebites in Australia annually.
Symptoms and signs to look out for can include vomiting or feeling genuinely unwell, noticeable muscular tremors, reduced energy or lethargy, paralysis, and irregular bleeding. Paralysis is a common sign of a snake bite, but can also be a common symptom of other medical concerns.
Approximately 150,000 dogs and cats in the United States are bitten by venomous snakes each year. It's unknown how many nonvenomous snake bites occur, as these bites rarely show up at veterinary clinics. Statistics show that approximately 80% of dogs survive venomous snake bites with prompt care.
Symptoms of a snake bite in dogs
Look out for symptoms such as leg weakness, shaking or pacing and general restlessness. Your dog may also have dilated pupils or be drooling more than usual, or could even be panting a lot or struggling to breathe. In extreme cases, your dog could even collapse or lose consciousness.
"Including the brown, tiger, black, taipan, death adder and certain sea snakes and all these snakes are found in Queensland," Mr Farry said. "Most Australian snake bites are associated with minimal local pain and bite marks can be easily missed."
Some snakes such as eastern brown snakes are active during the day, others prefer to hunt in the evening, while some species are more active at night during the hotter months.
In Australia, snakes sometimes slither into suburban backyards and homes. When the weather gets warm, they lounge in the sun.
Recognize the Symptoms
Snakes will often bite your pet in the face, neck, or legs when the dog tries to catch the snake. In many cases, there may be minimal pain and swelling so this isn't the most reliable way of determining whether your pet got bitten or not — you still have to watch for the other signs.
The adder is the only venomous species, grass snakes and smooth snakes aren't venomous and don't tend to bite. Adders tend to keep themselves to themselves and don't bite unless they are scared, unfortunately, dogs tend to approach them without fear, startle them and get bitten.
Without treatment your dog will suffer miserably, and smaller dogs may succumb to the effects of the toxins in the venom. The cornerstone of treatment is intravenous fluids, pain meds and antivenin.
Pitbulls (10.3 per cent) topped the list for the most dog attacks in Australia. Labradors, usually considered to be a docile and family friendly dog breed, placed second on the list of dog attacks.
80% of Western Australia falls into the desert or semi-arid climate section meaning that it receives no more than a foot of rainfall all year long. The soil is not rich in nutrients and over half of the days are sunny with no clouds. There is a large variety of snakes in this area.
Do snakes come out in the fall? Snake activity picks up as temperatures fall in late summer and early autumn before they go into hibernation, which can be as early as September or as late as December.
In the United States, snake season extends through most of the spring. March or April often constitutes the beginning, but snakes will often continue to be active well into the fall or even winter if conditions are right for hunting.
Introducing the most venomous snake in the world and epic predator of the Australian outback! The inland taipan is otherwise known as the fierce snake or small scaled snake.
Snake season in Australia - September to April. When the weather warms up and spring arrives, we begin to see snakes emerge from their brumate period. Brumation, which is a form of dormancy in reptiles, it is similar to hibernation.
Predators. The species' known predators include birds of prey and feral cats.
It's likely that most snakes won't choose to go near dogs. They're bigger, noisier, and more of a hassle than a good snack. Simply by having your dog around, you will likely help to keep snakes away.
Dogs may react to a snake bite right away, or it may take up to 24 hours for symptoms to appear. Common symptoms of a snake bite on a dog include: Sudden weakness and possible collapse. Swollen area.
"The spontaneous clotting time of the blood - even without venom - was dramatically faster in dogs than in cats. This suggests that the naturally faster clotting blood of dogs makes them more vulnerable to these types of snake venoms.