Dog dies after snakebite as vets warn pet owners of increased sightings
Vets and residents are warning about a surge in snake bites as the weather warms up. These are the suburbs witnessing a surge in sightings and attacks.
A Westbrook woman said she feels unsafe after her beloved dog died from a snakebite, as vets report an increase in snake sightings in the Toowoomba region.
Kirsty Harris and her young family are distraught following the death of their beautiful boxer Fanta last week, after she was bitten by a snake in their garden.
The Chronicle has found three other cases of dogs being hospitalised in the last week across the Toowoomba region, and vets are warning pet owners that it is only the beginning of the season.
Ms Harris said her husband Chris witnessed Fanta being bitten at about 4pm on October 15.
Fanta had been inside all day and had only been outside for about five minutes before it happened.
Mr Harris saw the snake strike through their kitchen window and got to Fanta immediately, before racing her to Greencross Vets in Kearneys Spring.
“She was just laying in her favourite spot in the backyard and it cost her life,” Ms Harris said.
“About two minutes after the bite she lost control of her bowel and her bladder and she vomited and dropped to the ground,”
Ms Harris said Fanta’s symptoms escalated quickly and they had to make the decision to put her down.
“Because she got bitten on the mouth which is a high blood vessel area the symptoms of the snake bite progressed really, really quickly and she was really suffering,” Ms Harris said.
“And there was no guarantees that the antivenom will work, so we had to make the choice to put her down so that she wasn’t in any more pain.”
“A snake bite on a dog is absolutely cruel, the symptoms that occur are really traumatic to watch,” she said.
“You could see in her eyes, she was terrified.”
Ms Harris said she hated that Fanta died in pain.
“She’s been on this journey with us for nine years and it feels so unfair that that’s how she went out,” she said.
“She’s just the most beautiful dog and she’s just seen us through so many hard times in life, she was the one consistent.
“It was a very traumatic experience and it’s just been a profound loss.”
Ms Harris said her and her neighbours think this has been the worst year yet for snakes, and said the Westbrook community Facebook Page is inundated with posts about sightings.
“We don’t even want out three-year-old to be outside,” she said.
“It’s terrifying, and it’s just the start of the season.”
Highfields Vet Surgery Head Vet Nurse Kyra Harrison regularly cares for pets suffering from snake bites, but it didn’t make it any easier when her own dog was bitten on October 18.
Last week Ms Harrison heard her 2-year-old golden retriever Lottie bark strangely and when she checked on her found her near a brown snake.
“Immediately Lottie began panting, was off balance, and her pupils became dilated,” she said.
“Knowing how lethal snake bites can be and seeing so many pets in clinic with their life on the line, I was instantly worried about losing my girl.
“I picked her up and rushed her to Highfields Vet Surgery I knew time was critical to save her.”
Ms Harrison said she was able to get Lottie treated within 15 minutes from being bitten, so that helped with her recovery and she was only in hospital for a day.
“Some pets can be in hospital anywhere from one day to a week,” she said.
“The quicker the treatment is administered, usually means a much faster recovery.
“Some pets are lucky enough to have a near miss, others have been bitten and require treatment. Some pets unfortunately don’t make the trip to the vet.”
Westbrook Veterinary Surgery also treated Dallas, a English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, after she was bitten by a snake in her Westbrook home on October 17.
The vet clinic said Dallas was saved by her owners quick action in seeking treatment and Dallas is now recovering from the bite.
The clinic’s Practice Manager Danni Barnes said they had seen an increase in dogs being brought in to test for possible snake bites recently.
“We have seen an increase in snake sightings, close calls, and possible bites in the last couple of weeks,” she said.
The vet clinic said fast action could make the difference between life and death for beloved pets.
In another incident, a one-year-old Groodle named Deejay was hospitalised after being bitten by a snake at home in Gowrie Junction.
His owner, an 88-year-old man, found Deejay collapsed and partially paralysed in the garden on Saturday, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser.
“Deejay is currently still in emergency care, and the next few days are critical as vets monitor his recovery and hope for signs of improvement,” she post said.
“Please help us get Deejay back home where he belongs – wagging his tail beside the man who loves him most.”
Originally published as Dog dies after snakebite as vets warn pet owners of increased sightings
