‘Don’t panic’: Here’s how to keep pets safe during Georgia’s snake season

MARIETTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Dogs are often best friends and family for many, and most would do anything to keep them safe.

But pet owners also want to give them the best life possible. And it is that time of year again in Georgia when there are more run-ins with people, their animals and snakes.

“Copperheads are probably the most common venomous snake in the metro Atlanta area,” said Justin Oguni, a doctor of veterinary medicine with The Veterinary Clinic in Marietta. “It is a snake that typically stays hidden and out of sight. Unfortunately, with urban sprawl, encounters have become more common.”

Oguni said it’s important to say aware, informed and unafraid when it comes to snakes.

“The thing about snakes is they want to stay out of your way. So stay in areas that are clear. Places snakes like to be in are hidden, brush piles, heavy vegetation,” said Oguni.

The patterns on snakes can usually help with identification.

“The typical copperhead, when you look from their side you will see what looks like a Hershey’s kiss pattern. It is something that water snakes, that are commonly confused with copperheads, do not have,” said Oguni, “Anytime you see a small snake with a yellow tail, do not touch it. It is venomous, at least here in Georgia,”

If your pet is bitten by a snake, there are options.

Oguni said most copperhead bites do not need antivenom but it is good to call ahead and know where to go in case the bite reaction escalates.

Large rattlesnakes can be a different story. Vets recommend getting to a vet or a place with antivenom right away.

“The key is getting a picture and then seeking a veterinarian as soon as you can,” said Oguni.

With copperhead bites, your pet will show signs of swelling, redness, pain and there could be some bleeding.

For Oguni, it is important to continue to give our animals the best lives possible and to encourage people to respect snakes, not fear them.

How to stay safe with your pet and snakes:

• The best way to prevent your pet from being bitten by a venomous snake is to keep them out of a situation where they are likely to encounter one
• To reduce the chance of encountering a snake around your yard or home, keep your yard tidy and clear of heavy vegetation and cover for snakes
• Not providing a food source, like bird feeders, that would attract rodents, a common prey of venomous snakes
• If you have a large yard, it is recommended to walk your dog on a leash or contain your pet in a cleared area of your yard
• If you plan to travel with your pet, be sure to keep your pet on a leash and keep them in clear areas

Oguni said when the nights are warm, above 70 degrees, it is possible to encounter a venomous snake, such as an eastern copperhead, a species that tends to become more active at night in the summer. He said it is important to use a flashlight and keep an eye out if you are walking your pet at night.

Oguni said venomous snakes are known to bite without injecting venom, known as a “dry bite.”

“With that said, when a pit viper such as an eastern copperhead, rattlesnake, or cottonmouth/water moccasin, bites and injects venom, there will be significant pain and swelling,” he said.

The eastern copperhead is the most commonly encountered venomous snake in the metro Atlanta area, according to Oguni.

“Rattlesnakes that occur in Georgia do not tend to do well when there is a lot of human development and are absent in most the Atlanta metropolitan area except for areas with large areas of undeveloped land,” Oguni said.

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