It’s that time of the year – it’s hot and snakes are on the move looking for food, water or shelter. While snakes are not actively seeking you or your greyhounds, they can pose a risk of injury or even death.

Preventing snake bite

It is difficult to make your property 100% snake proof. Snakes are very good at finding ways to get through, under or over obstacles like fences. Despite this, there are some practical things you can do to reduce the risk of snakes entering greyhound areas:

• make your property less attractive to rats, mice (and frogs) as snakes will prey on these animals
  • make sure spilled food is not left lying around
  • maintain your pest control program (this is a Code requirement).
• keep grass short, particularly up against fence lines and kennels
• keep leaf litter and rubbish to a minimum near kennel areas
• remove rubbish and other materials such as sheets of iron, logs or piles of bricks and keep piles of wood well away from kennels – snakes love to hide in these places
• snakes like water so make sure water features or other small ponds are emptied or located well away from your kennels and consider raising water buckets off the ground.
• regularly check the wire mesh used for fencing and kennels
  • look for holes or gaps between the wire and concrete or wooden posts
  • do not just look at ground level, look at the walls and roof and possible points of entry such as drainpipes
  • consider installing mesh below ground level or wire mesh that is difficult to get through

Remember, snakes are more afraid of you than you of them.

Also, it is illegal to kill snakes. If you see one call a snake catcher.

Identifying snake bite

Some SIGNS that your greyhound has been bitten include:

• weakness or severe lethargy
• collapse or paralysis
• shaking or twitching
• dilated pupils or difficulty blinking
• vomiting
• loss of bladder or bowel control
• blood in the urine or from the wound site
• difficulty walking
• drooling or rapid and shallow breathing

If you suspect snake bite, keep your greyhound calm and take them to a veterinarian immediately.

DO NOT:

• wash the wound
• apply a tourniquet (although you can apply a firm bandage above, below, and over the site of the bite if you know where your dog has been bitten to assist in stopping the venom from spreading to the heart)

If you are able to see the snake, take a photograph of the markings to show your veterinarian so they can administer the correct anti-venin.

Recovery from snake bite can be slow. Your veterinarian will walk you through treatment and recovery.

If your greyhound dies from or you suspect your greyhound has died from a snake bite, you must seek confirmation and a death certificate from a veterinarian.

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