How to Protect Your Pet from Snake Encounters This Summer
June in Texas is snake season, which means you and your pet have a much higher chance of encountering a slithering surprise when you spend time outside. Taking extra precautions is central to pet safety, and we want to help you protect your pet from snake encounters this summer.
Snakes in Texas
While Texas is home to 100+ snake species, only a handful are responsible for causing serious harm to cats and dogs. Knowing which snakes are the most dangerous is one of the most important aspects of avoiding them. Some of the most dangerous in The Lone Store State include:
- Western diamondback
- Mojave rattlesnake
- Timber rattlesnake
- Desert Massasauga
- Cottonmouth
- Coral snake
- Copperhead
Assessing Risks
During the warmer weather, dogs are more likely to come across a potentially dangerous snake. If bitten by a snake, animals can experience serious side effects, and even death. It is critical to train them on avoidance. You can enroll your dog in some snake bite avoidance classes so he or she learns how to stay alert for these dangers.
Taking Precautions
Promoting pet safety around snakes involves the following basics:
- Know what venomous snakes look like and what their behaviors and known habitats are.
- Always be on the lookout for snakes in and around bodies of water.
- Survey your pet’s surroundings at home or in the field. They enjoy sunning themselves on rocks and logs during the day, but hunt for food at night.
- Tidy up the yard and garden to make it harder for snakes to hide in rock or wood piles, overgrown vegetation, chicken coops, and inside or underneath sheds. Invest in rodent and insect control to reduce food sources for snakes.
- Don’t allow your pet to walk around in tall grassy, or rocky, areas unsupervised.
Snake Bite Pet Emergency
If you know or suspect that your pet has been bitten by a venomous snake, it is crucial to seek emergency veterinary care right away. Signs of a snake bite can include the following:
- Swelling, bleeding, and redness at the sight of the attack
- Restlessness/pacing
- Vomiting
- Respiratory distress
- Pale gums
- Drooling or foaming at the mouth
- Lethargy or weakness
- Enlarged pupils
- Shaking or trembling
- Collapse
Keep your pet calm, remove their collar if the bite is near the neck area, and transport them to our hospital as soon as possible. Many pets that receive emergency veterinary care make a full recovery.
Keeping Pets Safe From Snakes
Most snake bites occur as the result of a strong self-preservation instinct, not as an aggressive or vicious strategy. Snakes contribute to a strong ecosystem, and are valuable to insect and rodent control.
If we can assist you in preventing or treating a snake bite, please let us know. We are always happy to help you at BranchVet.