Waroona Veterinary Clinic warns ‘make a plan’ after first snake bite victim of the season seeks treatment

The Waroona Vet team have treated their first snake bite victim of the season — a surprise amid cold, wet weather.

The vet team treated a pug that had been bitten by a tiger snake last week. The dog has since made a full recovery.

The bite spurred the vet to urge people to take care, to recognise snakes are still out, and to make a plan.

Vet nurse Kellie de Rosa said the clinic generally saw snake bite victims from September, but while this early bite was certainly a shock to the staff, acting quickly and being prepared allowed the pup to make a full recovery.

“(Pets need) anti-venom as fast as possible,” she said.

“Do not wait and see.”

Ms de Rosa said if owners acted quickly and got their pets into care while they were still breathing, there was usually an 85-90 per cent survival rate.

“If you have seen a snake with your pet, or there has been a snake in the backyard with them, or your pet is coming inside and acting lethargic suddenly, the smartest move is always going straight to the vet,” she said.

“It would be a lot cheaper to pay for a consult and for the vet to observe your pet for a few hours, compared to leaving things until it’s too late.

“The cost of anti-venom itself is only around $1000, but if your pet has to go on to a ventilator, that’s where it gets expensive.”

Ms de Rosa said it could be hard for the staff to explain to owners in these stressful situations the costs involved, and when every minute counted, it was important for owners to act quickly.

“Make sure you have a plan,” she said.

“It doesn’t have to be a snake plan, even just a medical plan — a credit card, pet insurance, something.”

Ms de Rosa said pet owners could never completely eliminate the risk but said there were ways to prevent snakes, from mowing overgrown grass to removing hiding places around the house and investing in snake avoidance training.

The most important thing for owners is to remain observant, know the warning signs and act quickly, the vet nurse said.

“A bitten pet can start to look better,” she said.

“And that can be for 10 minutes or an hour, but then they crash and stop breathing.

“They are much better off under observation right away.”