Blue Mountains Ward 2 Councillor Claire West has warned residents to be wary of snakes this summer after her family dog was bitten by a deadly tiger snake in the front yard of her parents' Woodford home.
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The family raced their dog called Teddy to Selwood House Vet Hospital at Hazelbrook within 10 minutes of the bite on the afternoon of January 10, where two doses of antivenom saved the seven-year old Cavalier's life.
"They gave Ted two vials straight away of Tiger and Multi Brown Snake antivenom and said he might need more depending on how his blood tests came back but they didn't end up needing more," she said.
Tiger snakes have neurotoxic venom and are ranked among the top 10 most venomous snakes in the world.
Their dog spent 30 hours at the vet and returned the next evening.
"He has been a bit itchy and was unsettled [but] got quite excited when he was reunited with our other dog, Pippa. He is mostly back to himself now. He gave me a big kiss when he came home."
Cr West said it had been "a very sobering experience". The yard backed onto bush and "Teddy was extremely unwell very quickly."
"They had barely been outside when my dad saw a tiger snake very close to Teddy. We think the snake slid out from under the deck not far from our front door. It was all quite sudden.
"The first couple of minutes after being bitten Teddy twitched a few times, it was a bit like a convulsion. By the time my dad was running out the door, Ted was completely limp, lying prone on the floor."
Cr West said Teddy "received lots of I/V fluids to flush out his kidneys. Considering how extreme and scary the reaction was, with Ted lying prone and unresponsive in just minutes, I really think time is of the essence".
Vets have told the family Teddy has a clean bill of health.
"All the staff said he is very lucky," she added.
Troy Hovenden, known as The Reptile Bloke, said snakes become more active during spring and summer.
Mr Hovenden is a licensed and insured snake catcher operating the business The Reptile Bloke. Based in Springwood, he covers all the Mountains as well as Lithgow, the Nepean and the Hawkesbury.
He has picked up about 30-40 snakes since the beginning of December and said "if your pet gets bitten by a snake, simply take it to the vet as quick as possible". He also advised calling ahead so staff are prepared.
"Don't worry about using a bandage and try to keep it calm."
He said there were "no more [snakes] than usual for this time of the year. But with the warm weather there are snakes of all kinds moving around."
Tiger snakes are more common in the Mid to Upper Mountains - from Faulconbridge up. Mr Hovenden said most of the call-outs this season had been for Highland Copperhead, Red Belly Black snakes, Tiger snakes and Diamond Pythons but there are other species in the Mountains from time to time.
Warning to be vigilant
Cr West said "after all the rain and bad weather, snakes are out". She has urged residents to be careful "even in your own backyard ... and vigilant with kids and pets ... this time of year."
The West family received help from WIRES to try and find the snake, but she said "it seems to have taken off." That accords with Mr Hovenden's explanation about snakes near homes.
"If it's just moving about in your yard, chances are it will move on in its own time and you'll never see it again. If a snake comes onto your property and decides to stay, or if it's inside your house or garage, you should call a licensed and insured snake catcher to move the snake ... they have the appropriate training and experience to handle the snake safely," he said.
If out bushwalking and bitten he recommends using a pressure bandage, calling triple zero and applying first aid.
Cr West's post about her dog attracted plenty of comments, many who recounted their own dogs had also been bitten over the festive period.
It follows a scare in the Hawkesbury where a Holden dealership found a brown snake in their office printer. The clerk at the car dealership in Windsor thought it was a prank and almost picked it up.
The Reptile Bloke can be contacted by email thereptilebloke@hotmail.com and also offers snake yard inspections.
Cr West said "taking precautions to prevent snakes getting into your yard is a great idea, especially if you have young kids and or pets". Her parents were now considering "rodent proof mesh that you can put in the ground under your fence".
