Spring is upon us and it is a great time to enjoy the sunshine and the great outdoors with our precious pooches. Spring is however also the time when our reptilian friends become active again after a quiet winter and this can often lead to dogs and snake coming into contact. Contact between dogs and snakes often occurs in the garden, playing in the park or whilst bushwalking and unfortunately there can be devesting consequences for both dogs and reptiles.
Whether you are fan or not, snakes play an important role in our ecosystem and help us considerably by keeping rodent numbers down. Several species of snake in South East Queensland are non-venomous and therefore pose no real threat to dogs or humans. However South East Queensland is also home to several venomous species such as the Eastern Brown snake and Small-eyed snake. Although these species are no more likely to bite your dog, if a bite occurs the result can be fatal.
If your dog has been bitten by a snake there several signs that you may notice (Source: AVRU 2007);
• Dilated pupils which are not responsive to light.
• Convulsions
• Excessive salivation
• Vomiting
• Rapid breathing
• Fatigue or Vagueness
• A small wound may be present which could be as obvious as two puncture wounds or as discreet as a small cut or graze. Your dog may lick this wound.
If you believe your dog has been bitten by a snake call you vet immediately and follow their instructions exactly. An untrained person should not try to administer first aid without the advice of a professional. You should however immobilise your dog and keep it as quiet and calm as possible.
Despite the potential risk snakes pose we are able to live with snakes as long as we are prepared and correctly educated. Most snakes are shy and would much prefer to avoid confrontation than risk injury or death from a larger animal. Instead dogs are most likely to be bitten when they investigate. There are several things we can do to reduce the chance of our dogs experiencing a snake bite:
• Keep grass short in our yards.
• Investigate immediately if your dog is barking excessively or looking intensely or warily at any area in your garden.
• Walk your dog on a lead when near long grass or thick undergrowth.
• Remove any rubbish, tin or garden waste from your property as it can attract rodents (snake food) and provide shelter for snakes.
• Remove any left over food from your dog’s eating area as this will also attract rodents.
• Try to ensure your dog has a ‘snake proof’ sleeping area as several snakes are active at night.
While we often focus solely on the harm our pets face when dealing with snakes, it is also important that we recognise the threat our dogs (and cats) pose to snakes and other reptiles. Although some snakes may inflict a venomous bite, generally snakes do not have any real defence against an attack from a dog. Reptiles can often be fascinating items to dogs and curiosity can often take over resulting in bites, violent shaking of the reptile’s body and ‘pawing’. Dogs, even small dogs can cause skeletal and internal organ damage and are able to penetrate a snake’s skin easily causing wounds which often lead to death. Following the steps listed above can help protect snakes from our dogs just as much as it can protect our dogs from snakes.
In Queensland snakes and all native wildlife species are protected under the Nature Conservation Act Queensland (1992). It is therefore illegal to harm or kill a snake. In addition, statistically speaking you are more likely to be bitten by a snake when trying to kill it. If you find a snake living in your garden and you wish to have it removed you can call your local council to arrange for an accredited snake catcher to remove the snake safely and humanely. We love our dogs and our wildlife and we can help them both stay safe this Spring!
It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the various snake species found in the Brisbane area.
By Sophie Pimblett
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