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<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nby Keith Randall, Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s almost springtime in Texas, which means snakes are beginning to slither away from their comfortable winter surroundings and are on the move.<\/p>\n Dr. Jill Heatley, associate professor of veterinary medicine at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), said active snakes could mean bad news for people and their pets. Heatley and veterinarians in the Small Animal Hospital at the CVM are expected to see an increase in snakebite cases as the temperatures rise.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you believe your pet has been bitten by a snake, you need to seek veterinary care and the doctor can determine what kind of treatment is necessary,\u201d Heatley said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have already seen snakebites in dogs this year,\u201d said Christine Rutter, a small animal critical care veterinarian in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. \u201cOne pet required significant care after being bitten by a coral snake, but is thankfully going to be fine. Coral snake bites and rattlesnake bites are uncommon, but are life threatening when they occur. Copperhead and cottonmouth bites are extremely common during the summer, as are bites from grumpy non-venomous snakes.\u201d<\/p>\n Beware of the Texas big four<\/strong><\/p>\n A snakebite on a human can be painful \u2014 and also expensive. It is not uncommon for a person bit by a venomous snake to have hospital bills up to $50,000. Hospital treatments can range from one day to several weeks, and include care for damaged tissues and antivenom treatments that can run into the thousands of dollars, according to Heatley. Even nonvenomous snake bites can cause serious infection.<\/p>\n Although snakes are found in most parts of the world \u2014 Ireland, Iceland and New Zealand are some of the few snake-free countries \u2014 only four types of snakes found in Texas are venomous: the coral snake, copperhead, rattlesnake and cottonmouth (also known as the water moccasin).<\/p>\n \u201cThe thing to remember about snakes is that they generally want to be left alone,\u201d Heatley said. \u201cThey are probably more afraid of you than you are of them.<\/p>\n Rattlesnakes are one of the four venomous snakes found in Texas. Photo: Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cOf the four types of venomous snakes in Texas, the coral, copperhead, and rattlesnake are almost never aggressive unless they are provoked,\u201d she added. \u201cThe cottonmouth has a reputation of being less avoidant of humans, so you should be a little more wary of it, especially if you are near a creek or lake where they are frequently seen.\u201d However these snakes rarely bite humans and when startled they usually coil and open their bright white mouth as a warning sign. They are much more interested in their prey: small fish and frogs.<\/p>\n Heatley says an inquisitive pet could also be a snakebite victim. If bitten, a dog usually suffers the bite on its face or nose, while cats tend to get nicked on their paws.<\/p>\n \u201cThe area that has been bitten will usually begin to swell almost immediately, which is a tell-tale sign of a snake bite,\u201d Heatley said. \u201cVenom can spread quickly inside the animal, potentially resulting in kidney failure within 12 to 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n A \u2018dry\u2019 snake bite<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI would add that weakness, collapse, blood clotting disorders and neurologic changes are also of immediate concern,\u201d Rutter said. \u201cIn the emergency department, veterinarians will be immediately evaluating cardiovascular stability, neurologic status, pain level, blood cell counts, organ function and blood clotting before deciding on the best course of action.\u201d<\/p>\n Heatley said it is important to know that not all snakebites are the same.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes an animal or person will get just a small amount of venom from a bite, and sometimes it\u2019s much more,\u201d Heatley said. \u201cThere is also such a thing as a \u2018dry bite\u2019 in which no venom is injected at all. Interestingly enough, larger snakes tend to have lesser amounts of venom than smaller ones.\u201d<\/p>\n Although many of us may be fearful of snakes, snakes do have a useful purpose \u2014 they control the rodent, lizard and even bug populations.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the questions we often get in the veterinary hospital is, \u2018How can you tell a venomous snake from a harmless one?\u2019\u201d Heatley said. \u201cThe answer is that it is difficult because there are numerous types of snakes that are not venomous that look very similar to a venomous one.\u201d Heatley suggests looking for a triangular-shaped head in identifying poisonous snakes but does not encourage getting too close.<\/p>\n Be mindful of your surroundings<\/strong><\/p>\n Another frequently asked question in the Small Animal Hospital is how to keep snakes away. Heatley explains that most chemicals tested to do this are also quite toxic to pets and people. \u201cIt is better to be mindful of our surroundings, especially in places with pets and children. Try to create an open habitat, which will be less attractive to snakes,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen cleaning up brush and leaf piles, it\u2019s a great idea to wear closed toed boots, heavy pants and garden gloves for protection against snake bites,\u201d Heatley said<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we don\u2019t want an owner to put themselves at any risk, having a photo of the offending snake is always helpful for the ER clinicians to help us determine the appropriate treatment and diagnostics for each patient,\u201d Rutter said.\u00a0 \u201cWe rely heavily on Dr. Heatley and her team to help us be sure we can tell the venomous bites from the pretenders.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/losfresnosnews.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/rattlesnake.jpg\")