ASPCA OUTDOOR SAFETY TIPS: AVOID ENCOUNTERS WITH VENOMOUS SPECIES

Pet parents venturing into the wilds this summer for camping trips, picnics and hikes, please take caution—deep woods can be full of snakes, spiders, scorpions and other venomous species. Before entering forests, wild preserves or other wooded locations, please consider the following safety tips:

• Keep your pet on a leash when going on walks or hiking.
• Don’t let your animal companion investigate rock piles, debris, and holes in the ground, trees or fallen logs.
• Avoid evening walks in places where poisonous animals make their homes—many species are more active at night.

Please also watch for some common symptoms that indicate your pet may have been bitten by a poisonous animal:

• swelling
• puncture or bite wounds
• general weakness
• difficulty breathing
• seizures or tremors
• abnormal heart rate or arrhythmia
• moderate to severe pain

If you suspect that your pet has been bitten, the ASPCA advises keeping your pet as calm and inactive as possible while getting to the nearest veterinary clinic. Be ready, if possible, to describe the poisonous animal’s size, color, markings and other identifiable features to the attending veterinarian—but do not attempt to capture the animal yourself at the risk of being bitten.

If you cannot immediately reach your veterinarian, please call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435 for emergency advice. For additional information on what to do in a poison emergency, please visit ASPCA.org.