PupkeeperFirst aid
Snakebite: dog first aid
Use this when you saw or suspect a snake bit your dog, or your dog has sudden painful swelling with small puncture marks.
Get your dog to a vet as soon as you can
Find an emergency vetWhat to do
- Go to an emergency vet now. Treat every bite as venomous.
- Keep your dog as still and calm as possible. Carry it if you can.
- If a spitting cobra sprayed venom in your dog's eyes, rinse them with lots of clean water right away, then go.
- Call the vet to say you're on your way.
- Leave the bite alone.
- Only if it's safe, take a photo of the snake from a distance.
Don't
- Don't try to catch, kill or touch the snake.
- Don't cut or suck the bite, or put ice, heat, a bandage or a tourniquet on it.
- Don't wait for signs before going to the vet.
Signs
- Pain and swelling around the bite (can be mild after cobra or krait bites)
- Small puncture marks, sometimes hidden by fur
- Limping
- Vomiting or drooling
- Droopy eyelids or trouble swallowing
- Bruising or bleeding
- Weakness, wobbling or collapse
- Trouble breathing
Why
Venom starts doing damage right away, and some bites can kill within hours. Cobra and krait bites may barely swell, yet paralysis can follow hours later, so treat every bite as venomous and get your dog to a vet fast.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Snakebite
- PDSA: Snake Bites in Dogs
- AVMA: Pet First Aid (client brochure)
- WHO South-East Asia: Guidelines for the Management of Snakebites (2nd ed., 2016)
Guide reviewed 9 October 2026.
General information from the sources above, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call your vet.