Snakebite in dogs: what to do in the first minutes and what to avoid

The picture depends on how much venom was injected, on the size of the dog and on where the bite is. On the muzzle and neck the swelling can grow fast and press on the airway, so those sites are the most worrying. Two small puncture holes close together are often visible, but they are not always obvious under the coat, and their absence rules out nothing.

The guiding principle is simple: the less the dog moves, the more slowly the venom spreads. Every run, every effort and every burst of agitation speeds up the circulation and worsens the picture. The sequence below is designed for one person, away from the car.

1. 1

   Stop the dog and keep it calm

   Halt the walk at once. Speak in a quiet voice, avoid running and panicking, because the dog picks up on tension. Stillness is the first and most effective measure against the spread of venom.

2. 2

   Limit movement of the affected part

   If the bite is on a leg, try to keep the dog moving as little as possible. If you managed to see it, keep in mind where the bite is so you can report it at the clinic.

3. 3

   Remove collar and harness at once

   If the bite is on the muzzle, head or neck, take off the collar, harness or muzzle before the swelling tightens. An accessory left on can become a tourniquet as the tissues swell.

4. 4

   Carry the dog, do not let it walk

   If you can lift it, carry the dog in your arms or on a support to the car. A large dog should walk as slowly as possible, with frequent stops. The aim is to reduce exertion.

5. 5

   Phone the clinic while you move

   Warn them in advance that you are on the way with a suspected viper bite. Give species, weight, site of the bite, time of the event and how the dog is, so they can prepare what is needed.

6. 6

   Watch the progression on the way

   Keep an eye on breathing, gum colour and level of consciousness. If the dog worsens quickly, tell the clinic: it can change the priority on arrival.

If the dog wants to drink and drinks normally, let it do so calmly. Do not force water or food, and do not give any medication on your own initiative. The most valuable thing you can hand the clinic is a dog that arrived quickly and as calm as possible.

The viper bite is surrounded by a repertoire of folk remedies that belong more to the cinema than to medicine. Almost all are useless, many are dangerous and some add real damage on top of the venom.

• Applying a tight tourniquet: it blocks the circulation, concentrates the venom and can cause severe tissue damage, without truly slowing its overall spread.
• Cutting the wound or trying to suck out the venom: it creates an extra injury, invites infection and removes no useful amount of venom.
• Cauterising or applying substances to the wound: it adds a burn or a chemical irritation to already suffering tissue.
• Giving human antihistamines, steroids or painkillers on your own initiative: doses and indications cannot be improvised and may mask or worsen the picture.
• Making a large dog walk or run to the car to save time: the effort speeds up the circulation of the venom.
• Waiting at home to see if it passes: swelling and systemic effects can progress quickly, and delay reduces the options.
• Wasting time hunting for or photographing the snake: the species matters little, speed of transport matters a great deal.

In this emergency the variable that changes the outlook most is not which manoeuvre you perform on the spot, but how quickly the dog reaches proper treatment. Venom acts over time, and every minute of delay gives room for its spread and for its effects on the tissues and the body.

1. Prepare for the season: before outings in risk areas, find the nearest open clinic and save the number, because an emergency is not the moment to look it up.
2. Reduce the dog's exertion from the very first instant, because it is the only field measure that genuinely slows the venom.
3. Do not stop for useless manoeuvres: every minute spent cutting, tying or hunting for the snake is a minute taken from transport.
4. Use the phone on the move: a forewarned clinic prepares drugs, antivenom if indicated and a station, buying precious time on arrival.
5. Carry the dog's details, starting with a current weight, because they are needed to calibrate treatment.
6. After the acute phase, follow the review instructions, because swelling, pain and some effects need monitoring over the following days.

Prevention counts as much as first aid. In risk areas and seasons, keep the dog on the path, stop it poking its muzzle among stones and in tall grass during the hot hours when vipers are most active, and keep a manageable lead that lets you recall it quickly.

Not all dogs run the same risk, and not all situations are equally dangerous. Knowing the most treacherous combinations helps you stay alert at the right moments and react faster.

Cats are bitten far more rarely, because they tend to avoid the encounter and react differently. In dogs the typical picture is the enthusiastic hiking companion who, sniffing among the stones, takes the bite on the muzzle. Knowing in advance that this is the commonest situation helps you recognise at once what has happened, rather than losing precious minutes wondering.