TEGA CAY, S.C. (WBTV) – With the weather warming up, veterinarians are seeing a huge jump in reported snakebites to pets, especially dogs.
Experts say the reptiles, including copperheads, come out during the day to warm themselves up and can easily come in contact with a curious dog.
But is it fatal if your pet is bitten by one of these poisonous snakes?
The veterinarian we talked with told WBTV she sees about sixty snake bites on dogs … each month. And that’s only in one office. The good news is it’s almost never fatal.
“Been bitten. It’s game over.
Dingo is an adorable two-year-old dog. Her excitement and curiosity are what keeps her going. It’s also what got her into trouble.
Bernie Stray was walking Dingo late last week on well-worn trails at a park near their home in Tega Cay. That’s when his dog reacted in a way Stray wasn’t expecting.
“Walked the trail a million times,” Stray said. “She just recoiled on the leash very sharply on the leash. Instantly I went, ‘Ohhhhh … something’s happening here.‘”
Dingo came across a copperhead snake hiding in the leaves near the trail, which with lightning speed, struck Dingo on the nose. Stray scooped up his dog and rushed it to the emergency hospital, but not before dispatching the snake.
“I did play catch with it with a big rock,” Stray told us.
Veterinarians were able to assess Dingo’s condition, and even though her wounds looked bad, she was going to be okay.
“Copperheads are the most common venomous snake in North Carolina,” said Dr. Kelly Lang with Charlotte Animal Referral and Emergency.
She said snakebites like this one are something she’s seen plenty of.
“Although the bites can be serious and occasionally deadly, a lot of the time they just cause a lot of swelling.” Lang tol WBTV’s Ron Lee.
But Lang said your dog’s reaction to a bite depends on several factors: how many times they were bitten, your pet size, and most importantly where they were bit.
“The most serious is they get bit near their airway.” the veterinarian told us.
Especially dogs who have breathing issues like bulldogs can really be in trouble if they’re struck next to an airway. But the chances your dog will survive the encounter are very high.
“Overall I think the prognosis is very good,” Lang said.
That’s especially good news for Dingo.
“We knew that she’s likely to be fine,” Stray exclaimed.
Doctor Lang said to reduce the chance your dog will come in contact with a snake, try to clear out the brush around your home and avoid walks in heavily wooded areas.
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