Oakey & Buddy's DOG Blog

Spring has sprung, weather is warming and with warm weather out comes the snakes from hibernation, hungry and looking for food! Rural living is a wonderful lifestyle, with large parcels of land comes an increase risk of crossing paths with snakes for us we back onto a heavily wooded creek, a nice attractive water source for snakes. We are sharing some tips to reduce the risk of your pets encountering snakes this season. Do you clean up your properties for fire season? The answer should be YES! The same should apply to reducing the risk of snakes in and around your property. In this post we are sharing some do's and don'ts to reduce the risk of an encounter or worst case scenario your pet being bitten. What can I do to reduce the risk? Snakes are attracted to water sources, place a water source on the outer edge of your property Keep your yard tidy and grass mowed especially around areas where pets actively play Minimise vermin (mice) numbers with pet friendly methods Encourage birds such as Magpies and Kookaburras to stay as these a predatory birds Other handy tips? Avoid places where long grass is present Walk dogs on the leash when outside of your property Focus on where you are walking Recall is an important command to teach your fur baby What do I do if I encounter a snake? Stay away and maintain a safe distance (at least 4 metres) Keep an eye on the snake and contact your local snake catcher Remember don't panic Most snakes are protected species, so don't harm the snake or attempt to catch it Symptoms of Snake Bites: Dogs will show symptoms immediately where as cats can take several hours Cats look for a funny walk or paralysis Dogs will shown symptoms of anaphylactic reactions i.e. vomiting then collapsing, then periods of recovery and repeat reactions Bruising around the bite site and red wine coloured urine Different snakes will cause different reactions for more information speak to your vet or conduct some research online. In the Event of a Snake Bite? Need to immediately immobilise your fur baby to slow down the spread of venom Call your vet clinic or emergency vet Get to the vet as soon as possible, remember safety first If possible ID the type of snake i.e. Eastern Brown It's important to remember that snakes are not aggressive until they feel threatened, that's when they become defensive and reactive. Stay calm and safe this snake season. We hope you find these tips are useful. The Buddy's Bites Family.