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Devoted Vets patient survives a tiger snake bite! 

Ella is a 9 month old Labrador who was rushed into our Devoted Vets Fur Life Vet clinic as an emergency after she was bitten by a tiger snake.

Ella was in a critical state when she arrived and experiencing many of the common signs of snake bite including: vomiting, weakness and collapse. Soon after her arrival Ella’s diaphragm became paralysed, and so she lost her ability to breathe!

Our Fur Life Team got straight to work giving her life saving anti-venom, and placed a tube down her wind-pipe to allow us to breathe for her until her respiratory paralysis resolved. Ella received a total of 4 vials of anti-venom AND a plasma transfusion as part of her treatment process. This is double the anti-venom normally required to treat a snake bite, so Ella must have received a HUGE dose of venom from this particular snake!

Ella had a very long road to recovery overcoming the effects of the potent nerve and muscle toxins contained in tiger snake venom. She experienced paralysis of her face and oesophagus in the early phase of her recovery, and was in hospital for 24 days whilst we waited for her muscles to heal enough for her to go home with strict instructions to be crate-rested.

What is Best Mates?

Check out all the great Best Mates member benefits!

Ella is a Best Mates Member so her family were able to take advantage of the discounts across services and products, including free consultations and vaccinations that her membership provided for. To date Ella’s membership has saved her family over the last 12 months over $2700.

We are pleased to report that Ella has now made a full recovery and is ready to go back to chasing snakes – but fingers crossed she doesn’t!

If you see your pet playing with a snake, or worse – get bitten, don’t take any chances! Bring them straight to the vets to be assessed and treated appropriately!

Click below to read what symptoms to watch out for in case your dog is bitten by a snake.

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