Why cats have more lives than dogs when it comes to snakebite

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/uoq-wch051720.php

News Release 18-May-2020
University of Queensland


Cats are twice as likely to survive a venomous snakebite than dogs, and the reasons behind this strange phenomenon have been revealed by University of Queensland research.

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Dr Fry and his team used a coagulation analyser to test the effects of eastern brown snake venom - as well as 10 additional venoms found around the world - on dog and cat plasma in the lab.

"All venoms acted faster on dog plasma than cat or human," Mrs Zdenek said.

"This indicates that dogs would likely enter a state where blood clotting fails sooner and are therefore more vulnerable to these snake venoms.

"The spontaneous clotting time of the blood - even without venom - was dramatically faster in dogs than in cats.

"This suggests that the naturally faster clotting blood of dogs makes them more vulnerable to these types of snake venoms.

"And this is consistent with clinical records showing more rapid onset of symptoms and lethal effects in dogs than cats."

Several behavioural differences between cats and dogs are also highly likely to increase the chances of dogs dying from venomous snake bite.

"Dogs typically investigate with their nose and mouth, which are highly vascularised areas, whereas cats often swat with their paws," Dr Fry said.

"And dogs are usually more active than cats, which is not great after a bite has taken place because the best practice is to remain as still as possible to slow the spread of venom through the body."

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