Dog and Snake Bites
Answered by: Kerry Hackett
Question from: Stephanie Sharp
Posted on: March 13, 2007

What do I do for my dog if bitten by a poisonous snake and cannot immediantly get a vet’s care?

Excellent question. I have no experience in this area so I will relay what I have heard from other sources, bearing in mind that even though your vet may be unavailable, most centres have emergency veterinary clinics, open 24 hours a day. In addition, there are many types of snakes, quite a number of which are non-poisonous. In any case, I would take the animal to emergency care whether I knew the snake was poisonous or not.

I have read that Echinacea angustifolia can be useful in snake bites as well as high doses of vitamin C, homeopathic Ledum and, if you know your dog has acute allergic reactions, an epi-pen. However, dosages in all of the above are based on your animal’s weight, general health, age, etc., so are best prescribed by a qualified professional who knows both you and your dog personally. You may find a practitioner open to complemetary care in your area via the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association (www.vbma.org).

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