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Dr Tania
07/Apr/2026
Pet first aidTravel with pets0

Snake Bite First Aid in Dogs and Cats

Snake bite is a common concern for pet parents in Australia, especially when living or travelling in rural or remote locations.

What is a snake bite?

Venomous snakes in Australia cause envenomation by biting and injecting venom into the wound. This venom sits in the tissues and tissue fluid (lymph) at the bite site, which then moves towards the heart and bloodstream when muscles move the limb. Once in the bloodstream, venom quickly travels to all parts of the body. Venom from different snakes cause different problems in the body, but generally it affects the blood (causing bleeding), the nerves (causing paralysis and difficulty breathing) and the muscles (causing painful muscle damage), with toxins from the muscle damage then causing secondary kidney damage. The role of antivenom in treating snake envenomation is to bind to venom that is present in the bloodstream, and then be flushed out, before it can bind to and damage organs.

Interestingly, not all snake bites result in envenomation. Venomous snakes make up 65% of the approximately 220 snake species in Australia, with pythons and tree snakes making up the non-venomous portion. Even venomous snakes can give a ‘dry bite’, which is when a snake bites without injecting venom, usually as a first warning strike to say ‘go away’. But, for the best outcome, all snake bites should be treated as an envenomation until proven otherwise.

 

How is a snake bite treated in dogs and cats?

The aim of a snake bite bandage in human cases (people are usually bitten on the leg or arm) is to compress and immobilise the limb, to stop muscle movement and slow lymph flow in the affected limb. This slows the release of the venom into the bloodstream and body, allowing the body time to detoxify and remove the venom.

In pets, we need to treat snake bites differently because we can’t simply ask where they were bitten, or tell our dog or cat to sit still and not move the bite site. To complicate this, snake bites tend to occur on the face and neck in dogs (because dogs investigate things by sticking their noses in or mouthing it), or on the face or front legs in cats (because cats like to ‘play’ with new things). In addition, our pets have fur, which vastly reduces our ability to see a bite mark and know where the bite occurred. All of these factors make application of a compression bandage to a bite site very difficult or impossible, meaning that immediate veterinary treatment, including antivenom, is a pivotal aspect of treating snake envenomation in pets.

Of course, there may be less common incidents where you may see a snake bite your pet’s leg or your pet may be limping after a suspected snake interaction, so a limb can be assumed to be the bite site and a compression/immobilisation bandage and/or splint applied. If this occurs, and you don’t have a snake bite bandage, then a stick can be used as a splint and a cohesive bandage applied to hold it in place. If you do have a snake bite bandage, then follow the same instructions on it as you would for a human.

Snake bites are an emergency. Seek veterinary advice and get your pet to the closest veterinary hospital as soon as it is safe to do so – remember to call ahead as not all veterinary clinics stock antivenom.

 

Do I need a snake bite bandage in my pet first aid kit?

When packing a pet first aid kit, you can add a snake bite bandage. But, when you take the above information into consideration, it’s cheaper and more practical to carry one in your human first aid kit and use it for your pet if the situation happens to be appropriate.

Remember, the most important part of snake bite treatment in dogs and cats is getting to a veterinary hospital as soon as it is safe to do so.

 

Has my dog or cat been bitten by a snake?

Overall, if you suspect an interaction between your pet and a snake, then keep them quiet and carry them, if possible, to reduce movement. Always seek veterinary advice immediately. Don’t wait for symptoms or waste time trying to locate a bite mark! The sooner that an envenomation can be diagnosed and treated then the better (and cheaper!) the outcome.

Signs of snake bite and envenomation in dogs and cats:

  • collapse followed by apparent recovery
  • lethargy
  • weakness or wobbly walking
  • muscle tremors or shaking
  • dilated pupils or reduced blinking (cats may hide from bright light)
  • paralysis
  • inability to control bladder or bowels
  • unusual bleeding from the nose or mouth
  • dark or bloody urine

 

Are snakes angry or just misunderstood?

Avoiding snakes means understanding normal snake behaviour:

  • Snakes aren’t scary or aggressive, they will only act defensively to strike or bite if they feel threatened and will prefer to escape or hide than interact with you or your pet.
  • Snakes tend to be more active in warmer weather, but some species are adapted to cooler weather in temperate areas. Likewise, in very hot weather or hot locations, snakes have adapted to hide during the hottest parts of the day, preferring to be active at dawn and dusk or even during the night.
  • Snakes are attracted to food, this might mean small reptiles, frogs or toads (ie. near water), small mammals like rodents (which are attracted to seed or grain around pet bird cages or chicken coops, rubbish and food scraps).
  • Snakes can have super-powers. Did you know that the non-venomous Keelback is the only native Australian snake (and one of very few Australian species) capable of eating the toxic cane toad without dying?!

 

How can I prevent my dog or cat from being bitten by a snake?

Snake bite prevention in pets includes:

  • Teach your dog good recall and a command like “leave it”, along with alerting you to something new rather than interacting. This life skill can help in many different situations. Seek help from your vet or a dog trainer if you need tips.
  • Snake aversion training isn’t necessary and has mixed efficacy, but if you want to enrol then ensure the provider offers positive reinforcement rather than punishment-based methods (avoid tools like shocks, sprays or collars).
  • Always check your campsite when setting up and keep your pet secure at all times. Don’t allow pets to roam unsupervised – this also applies to safety regarding baits, scavenging, other dogs and wildlife.
  • Remove or avoid areas where snakes might like to hide or seek warmth in your campsite
    • Wood piles or leaf litter
    • Long grass or shrubs
    • Camping equipment, dog bedding or bags on the ground
    • Dispose of food waste appropriately into bins so it doesn’t attract wildlife or rodents, which, in turn, attracts snakes
  • If you see a snake:
    • Keep your pet secure and close to you
    • Slowly step away from the snake, allowing it space to assess an exit route
  • If you suspect that your dog or cat has interacted with a snake:
    • Don’t wait for possible symptoms of a bite, seek veterinary advice immediately, as the sooner that snake envenomation is treated, the better the outcome
    • Call a snake catcher to remove the snake and transport it to a veterinarian if it is injured but alive
    • Do not attempt to catch or handle a snake yourself, envenomation can still occur from a dead snake
    • Always assume a snake is venomous until proven otherwise
    • Take a photo to assist snake identification, if it is safe to do so (the zoom function on your phone camera can be handy here)

 

Be prepared for emergencies when out and about with your pet with the Vet in a Van x Navigator Pet First Aid Kit – the included Pet First Aid Quick Reference Guide provides easy instructions for managing situations like snake bite.

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Dr Tania
28/Sep/2021
Parasite preventionTravel with pets0

Ehrlichia – can ticks make my dog sick?

What is Ehrlichia and can it make my dog sick?

Ehrlichia can make your dog sick. Ehrlichia canis is a bacteria that causes a disease called Ehrlichiosis, which is responsible for making dogs very sick. Ehrlichia is found in many tropical and subtropical regions all over the world and, unfortunately, has spread through northern Australia since it was first detected in the Kimberley region of Western Australia back in May 2020. Ehrlichia is now widespread across the Northern Territory and has also been making dogs sick across the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne and upper Goldfields regions of Western Australia. Cases have recently been discovered in Queensland and Victoria in dogs travelling from these areas and ticks in northern South Australia have been found to carry the bacteria. In January 2022, a dog in Mt Isa, Queensland, was confirmed to have been infected locally so the disease can now be presumed to be present in northern Queensland. UPDATE: As of December 2022, cases have been confirmed in Townsville.

 

How is Ehrlichiosis diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing Ehrlichiosis in dogs can be tricky because the signs vary, but early diagnosis and treatment give the best chance of recovery. Diagnosis is based on the combination of the history of a dog travelling to affected areas, the clinical signs and a blood test. Treatment with a very long course of antibiotics is possible but can be complicated in severe cases as the bacteria can hide within the body and cause severe damage to different internal organs.

If your dog has been in a tick-prone area and shows any of these signs then please seek veterinary advice as soon as possible, even if the illness doesn’t seem too bad or your dog seems to recover temporarily:

  • A high temperature or fever
  • Being lethargic or not moving around much
  • Going off their food
  • Losing weight
  • A runny nose or eyes
  • Any unusual bleeding, bruising or swellings
  • Cloudy eyes

 

If Ehrlichia is a bacteria, then why do we keep talking about ticks?

Ehrlichia is carried by the Brown Dog Tick and dogs become infected when an infected tick bites them. The Brown Dog Tick is common and widespread across most of Australia so Ehrlichia has the potential to spread this far – which we really don’t want! Ticks are most commonly picked up from grass near other dogs, stock or wildlife.

 

Are you in or heading to northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory or Queensland with your dog?

Dog movement restrictions currently apply to any dogs leaving northern Western Australia or the Northern Territory. So, even if you’re just popping up north for a quick holiday, this applies to you. Check out this government website for details:

https://www.outbreak.gov.au/current-responses-to-outbreaks/ehrlichiosis-dogs

The important points are to:

  • Check the government requirements for the State/Territory you are moving to
  • Treat and check your dog for ticks in the 7 days before moving out of the area
  • And, to tell your vet that you’ve visited the affected regions if your dog becomes sick afterwards

 

How can I prevent ticks and Ehrlichia from making my dog sick?

This disease IS preventable and we can all contribute to preventing it’s spread into the southern and eastern areas of Australia.

If you are travelling to the northern parts of Australia then please have your dog on an effective tick treatment at all times.

On a practical basis, effective tick prevention means you need to do three things:

1. Treat your dog with an effective medication that kills ticks – these are the regular chews or spot ons that your dog might already be on (like Nexgard or Bravecto).

2. Add a tick repellent product that aims to stop ticks from attaching to your dog – this may be a collar (Seresto) or spot on (Advantix).

3. Unfortunately, no tick preventative is 100% guaranteed, so if you’re in a tick-prone area then you still need to check your dog for ticks at least once a day and carefully remove any. Check out our Tick Check Guide for how to do a thorough tick check on your pet.

 

Why does my dog need to use both a chew and a repellent collar to prevent Ehrlichia?

The reasoning behind using both a tick preventative AND a repellent is that the usual tick preventatives are in the bloodstream so ticks need to attach to the dog and suck blood before they are killed, which can take about 5-6 hours. The Ehrlichia bacteria can transfer from the tick to the dog in around 1-2 hours, which is faster than these medications can kill the tick.

The repellent products stop up to 95% of ticks from attaching at all by creating a residue in the oils on the skin and coat. I like to call this a dog’s ‘invisibility cloak’ against ticks, with the chew or spot on and a physical tick check as the back up plan just in case one does attach.

 

Which tick preventatives are the best?

There are a few different chew and spot on tick prevention products available and not every one is suitable for every dog, so chat to either Dr Tania or your usual veterinarian about which ones are best for your dog. These include products like Bravecto, Nexgard or Simparica.

The Seresto collar (for small and large dogs) is the most recommended tick repellent product as it only needs to be replaced every four months, is waterproof and is supported internationally to have more than 90% efficacy in preventing Ehrlichiosis. Another option with proven efficacy against Ehrlichia is the monthly spot on treatment Advantix. The Kiltix collar is another viable option (based on the active ingredients) but is not waterproof and hasn’t been proven against Ehrlichia in any studies. Just be aware that there have been some fake tick repellent collars selling online, so please buy one from a reputable source.

 

Vet in a Van is committed to protecting your dog and limiting the spread of Ehrlichia in Australia

Follow any of the above links for tick preventatives or head to www.obay.com.au and enter our unique code VIAV100R at the top left of the screen for an exclusive discount on all tick preventatives and pet supplies.

 

 

Keep your chosen parasite preventatives handy by storing them in your Vet in a Van – Navigator Pet First Aid Kit

 

 

*Information provided here is based on information available to us at the time of publishing and not intended as an individual veterinary recommendation for any product or action. You should consult your veterinarian for advice regarding your individual pet and read all product labels and instructions prior to the use of any product.

**By using our discount code, you save money and Vet in a Van receives a small margin on each sale which helps us to keep helping you and your pets.

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