{"id":117,"date":"2020-08-10T10:24:52","date_gmt":"2020-08-10T17:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastsacvet.com\/blog\/?p=117"},"modified":"2022-03-09T11:31:01","modified_gmt":"2022-03-09T19:31:01","slug":"do-you-know-how-to-keep-your-pet-safe-from-snakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastsacvet.com\/blog\/do-you-know-how-to-keep-your-pet-safe-from-snakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Know How to Keep Your Pet Safe From Snakes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Sacramento<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Snake encounters are just a part of life in California, and yet, few of us are truly primed to handle them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While people may go out of our way to avoid snakes,, a pet\u2019s predatory instincts may be triggered if they detect unexpected movement or sound in their immediate environment. Unbeknownst to the pets in hot pursuit of an unknown intruder, snakes have amazing defense mechanisms, including painful, venomous bites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every year, approximately 150,000 venomous snake bites occur every year in cats and dogs. Some cases are fatal, but not all bites contain venom (known as \u201cdry bites\u201d). This is hardly consoling for a pet owner that simply wants to keep their pet safe from snakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Stuff of Nightmares<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cortlands, or pit vipers, are found throughout the United States. Our chief threat in California is, of course, the rattlesnake. If your pet is bitten with venom, swelling, discoloration, and skin sloughing are common indicators. If untreated, you may see vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, irregular heart beat, fluid in the lungs, shock and death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venom of certain crotalids, such as Mojave or canebrake rattlesnakes, affect the neural system, so you may not necessarily see a reaction to tissue around the bite. Look for muscle twitching instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closer Look<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes a snake bite isn\u2019t directly witnessed, and the symptoms can be mistaken for other problems. Also, fang marks don\u2019t always mean that a pet has received venom, so keep an eye on swelling. In any case of a known or suspected snake bite, emergency care is required.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Setting the Scene<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Providing quick help<\/a> is an important component of keeping your pet safe from snakes. Often, blood tests and urinalysis can reveal the extent of potential damage from venom. Applying test results to a severity score can determine the course of treatment that may involved:<\/p>\n\n\n\n