Poisonings

A sturdy (neutered) male dog, who is very alert, waits expectantly at the GSPCA for some kind soul to offer him a good home

Continued

Snake bite

There was a time whenever I heard ‘snake bite’ as a cause of death, especially among domestic livestock, I used to laugh and deem it an embarrassment diagnosis. In other words, whenever the herdsman or the ranch manager was not sure of the cause of death, the easiest thing to blame was poison from snake bites. I still believe that many of the livestock deaths attributed to snake venom might not reflect a great reality. Snake bites in dogs is a different matter. Although many dogs are smart enough just to bark at (but keep their distance from) snakes, too many wish to effect a confrontation – and they come out second best if the snake is poisonous.

Actually, most snakes are non-venomous, so you don’t have to worry too much just because your dog has been bitten by a snake. Also, snakes