Abstract
Dogs (Canis familiaris) have several behavioral characteristics that may contribute to snakebites. Dogs generally are inquisitive, lack ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), and may attack a snake in defense of self or a human companion. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of 115 dogs presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital during a 36 month period with bites caused by three venomous snakes namely; Russell’s viper, (Daboia russelii: n = 65) cobra (Naja naja: n = 36) and hump nosed viper (Genus Hypnale: n = 14). Adult dogs (2–8 years: 58%) and medium sized breed dogs (60%) were the frequent victims of snakebites and the least number of envenomation were reported from small sized breeds (5%). Despite treatments, the highest number of deaths resulted with D. russelii (n = 8, 7%) bites followed by N. naja (n = 4, 3.5%). Fang marks were multiple (50% of dogs), single (42%), or unidentifiable (8%). Most bites of Russell’s viper and hump nosed viper were nocturnal, clustered around dusk and dawn while all cobra bites were reported only at day time.AbbreviationsVTHVeterinary Teaching HospitalRVRussell’s viperCOCobraHNV: Hump nosed viper
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