Snakes putting the bite on dogs

Bourke’s friendly Vet Dr Charlotte Cavanagh is concerned about the prevalence of snakebites for dogs. Photo TWH

Bourke veterinarian, Dr Charlotte Cavanagh from Kidman Way Veterinary Surgery has issued a warning to pet owners about a recent rise in snake bites.

Charlotte said that dogs like to chase snakes and that, unfortunately, they often get bitten by the snakes they chase.

“We’ve had quite a rise in snake bites in the last couple of weeks both in and around Bourke and Cobar,” Charlotte said.

Charlotte said that while many people may not witness their animal being bitten, often seeing a dead reptile next to their pet is the first indication.

“We often get people who bring their dogs in, because they found their dog with a dead snake but they’re not quite sure if the dogs been bitten,” she said.

“It’s important to come straight in because we can do a blood test, which only takes a few minutes, and which tell us whether there’s been a bite so that we can start treatment quickly.” […]

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