HIGH anti-venom costs are forcing some pet owners to choose between life and death in the case of a snakebite.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In desperate cases, veterinarians could provide out-of-date anti-venom from hospitals to dying animals.
But, the Poison and Therapeutic Goods Act made prescribing expired drugs in any case prohibited.
When Calala resident Sharna Murden’s cat Ruby was bitten by a brown snake last Sunday she had to make the difficult choice between letting her go or forking out hundreds of dollars for expensive anti-venom.
“I found her completely paralysed in her cat box and it was identified as a brown snake bite,” she said.
“All up it cost about $1200, it was really emotional actually – if I didn’t have the money there I don’t know what I would have done, it was a tough decision with a lot of guilt as well.
“The vets do an amazing job but it’s a hard position to be put in, I wish they did offer the out-of-date anti-venom because any is better than nothing.”
Vials of anti-venom can cost anywhere between $400 to $1000 each, and most animals will need at least two Marius Small Animal Veterinarian clinic vet Robyn Edleston said.
“I know there have been other clinics that have had to use 11,” she said.
“When I was working at Greencross Veterinarian Clinic and in rural towns previously I used it, but I haven’t used anti-venom from hospitals for over 20 years.
“It was always a risk, if the animal didn’t have anti-venom they were going to die so people were willing to take the risk of reaction but now the regulations are a lot stricter and it’s not necessary because there’s pet insurance.”
In most cases Ms Edleston said the expired anti-venom was effective, but now pharmaceutical companies manufacture anti-venom made specifically for animal use.
Hunter New England Local Health District used to supply anti-venom to local vets but has not done so since the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act was changed.
Under the Act it’s prohibited to provide regulated drugs after the expiry date a spokeswoman said.
“The efficacy of using expired anti-venom is uncertain and it may not be as effective,” she said.
Read also:
Snakes have been sighted in the Tamworth township looking for water as a result of the drought, and veterinarian Ms Edleston reminds pet owners to look out for signs of snake bite.
Reducing wood piles, corrugated iron or rockeries in backyards can be helpful in warding off snake habitats.
“If you don’t see your pet bitten and you aren’t sure, the main thing is to observe for signs of vomiting, trembling and salivating,” she said.
“People need to be aware that sometimes when a pet is bitten they might go through shock, vomit and collapse and then appear to come good – but an hour or two later they collapse again and go downhill very quickly.
“If you’re sure the pet has been bitten you should ring the vet and take the dog or cat straight in.
“The earlier the animal is seen the better the chance of survival and less time spent in hospital.”