THE Horsham Veterinary Hospital is urging pet owners to take extra care of their furry friends, after managing a remarkable four snake bites in 48 hours.
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For Horsham's Karlie Price, a snake bite to her family's beloved dog Dougie could have been a lot worse.
Mrs Price and her three children were away from their McKenzie Creek property for swimming lessons when they returned to see Dougie acting strange.
"It's terrible, of course, but I think we were actually quite lucky we weren't home at the time," Mrs Price said.
"We were only gone for half an hour. We got home and (Dougie) was acting really funny.
"I went up to him and two metres away from him was a massive brown snake that he had killed.
"It was in our backyard, right near the clothesline, so I'm really glad we weren't home at the time."
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After one of Mrs Price's young kids grabbed Dougie from his hiding place inside a hedge, they rushed to the Horsham Veterinary Hospital and fortunately he was saved.
Mrs Price said it was a good reminder for her and her kids to be cautious during summer.
"As horrible as it was for the kids, for them to notice that these things are around, it's made us all a little bit more aware," she said.
Horsham Veterinary Hospital business manager Elizabeth Luy said it was one of four snake attacks in 48 hours this week.
The attacks occurred on Monday and Tuesday, as warm weather brought the cold-blooded reptiles out into the open.
Mrs Luy said the recent spate of snake bites was a good reminder to take precautions.
"Sadly, snakes are a part of our country life. But the best thing to do is avoid walking your dogs off lead and in long grassy areas," she said.
"If you're on a walk, try not to have them running through long grass."
She said if bitten by a snake, it was vital to get your pet to the vet as soon as possible.
"Don't put yourself in danger of the snake - keep yourself safe, and get your pet to the vet as soon as you can," she said.
In addition to snake bites, Mrs Luy said bee stings, allergies and grass seeds were also common problems for pets in spring and summer.
"Grass seeds are a huge problem at this time of the year," she said.
"They get stuck in their coat, and the pointy end can get trapped and burrow into their skin. It can get pretty nasty.
"They can get in their ears as well - it's not uncommon at this time of year."
Mrs Luy said there were some steps pet owners could take to avoid the risk.
"There's not a lot you can do with allergies or bee stings - if a dog is going to take on a bee, a lot of the time they're not going to win that fight," she said.
"With grass seeds, it's best to try and keep your grass mowed. If you also have a fluffy dog, regular grooming can help you detect anything early."
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