Many take their pets on vacation. Nice for the animal and its owner, but have you taken into account that snakes can also occur in your holiday country.
Ground rules
- Reduce circulation in the area of the bite wound to slow down the absorption of the poison.
- Remove the poison from the wounds.
- Clean and bandage the wounds.
- If necessary, support breathing and other possibly impaired functions of the body until veterinary assistance is available.
Mode of action
- Put a muzzle on the animal. It will try to resist in the treatment of the painful wound.
- If you treat the bite wound within an hour of its occurrence and if it is localized on a leg, place a tight (approx. 21/2 cm wide) bandage around the leg between the wound and the body.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the canine wounds parallel to the long axis of the leg. Extend the wound about 1 cm towards the toes.
- If possible, you should vacuum the wound to remove the poison. Clean it well with soap and water. Dry it and put ice cubes on the wound. The ice cubes are best placed in a plastic bag.
- Do not give alcohol or any other stimulant.
- Take the patient to a vet as soon as possible.
Toad poison
There are nine types of toads that have caused poisoning in dogs. However, these occur in semi-tropical climates. The toad’s salivary glands produce a poison that, if it gets into the dog’s mouth or eyes, can cause quite serious symptoms. However, the types of toads common in European countries are so little poisonous that the chance of poisoning problems for a dog when in contact with a toad can be called virtually nil.
Prevention
- Carefully store medicines and chemicals in their original packaging and put them under lock and key.
- Do not use packaging containing toxic substances for other purposes.
- Only use drugs and chemicals as stated on the label. Note the expiration date.
- Properly dispose of old medicines and chemicals (flush them down the toilet).
- Do not let your pet gnaw on plants, unfamiliar objects or waste. This is primarily in the interest of his health, but preventing such behavior will certainly also be more pleasant for his environment.
- Always keep a close eye on your pet. Roaming animals often develop bad habits, and before you know what difficulties your animal has incurred or caused, your help may be too late.
- Have a first aid kit ready.
Poisons Center
The National Poisons Center in Bilthoven and the Anti-Poison Center in Brussels have the most recent data on poisoning and their treatment methods. Doctors, veterinarians and pharmacists can reach this center by phone day and night to obtain information. The university hospitals in the various university cities can also provide information in this area. These centers exist for poisoning in humans, but they can also be of great value to our pets. Before calling your vet, make sure you know the correct name of the agent that caused the poisoning. Today there are more than half a million commercial chemicals and household products on the market that are more or less harmful to humans and animals. The Poison Centers provide information about the toxic components present in the substance in question and advise on the correct treatment method.