The viper is the only venomous snake we have in our area. We often see bites on the face or legs, during a walk out in nature — and whatever happens, they're always treated as an emergency.
Symptoms
They usually don't take long to show:
- Marked swelling and pain around the site
- Two small puncture marks — the fang marks
- Weakness, trembling, drooling
- In severe cases, collapse
Prevention on walks
In spring and summer, keep your dog leashed when walking through grass and rocks, and don't let it dig around in holes and bushes. That's where they hide.
First aid — right now
You've got one goal: get to the clinic as fast and as calmly as you can.
- Keep the pet calm and still — movement spreads the venom
- Carry it; don't let it walk, if you can help it
- Keep the bite site below heart level
- Set off for the clinic IMMEDIATELY
What NOT to do
This is where you need to be careful, because a lot of "old remedies" do harm. Don't cut or suck the site, don't tie it off tightly with a band, don't apply ice and don't give human medicines. None of it helps — it just costs you time.
At the clinic
This is where we take over: stabilisation, pain relief, fluids and, where needed, antivenom, with continuous monitoring. Again, time is everything — the sooner you arrive, the better it goes.