A dog in Yamanto, Queensland, Australia, survived being bitten by an eastern brown snake, received anti-venom, and then suffered a second bite from another eastern brown in the same yard, according to Local Ipswich News.
Here's what to know
A snake catcher called to a Yamanto home in Ipswich urged the owner to have both dogs checked by a vet after a snake turned up in the yard, even though neither animal was showing any obvious symptoms. That precaution may have saved one of them.
The snake removed from the property was identified as an eastern brown, one of Australia's most venomous species. It was also in very poor condition and was euthanized after it was taken from the yard. When the catcher followed up, the owner said one dog was fine, while the other had bloodwork indicating a bite and required anti-venom and an overnight stay at the vet.
The homeowner was mowing when another snake was seen disappearing beneath the house slab. The catcher then checked the area and found multiple entry points under the structure.
The owner sent a photo asking, "Is this another eastern brown?" The answer was yes, and the same dog was bitten again. He needed another round of anti-venom, spent a second night at the vet, and recovered.
More background
Two eastern browns turned up in the same yard within about a week, and the same dog survived both venomous bites.
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Openings beneath the house slab appear to have created several ways for snakes to get under the home. Because the dog seemed normal at first, the early effects of envenomation were easy to miss.
Yards backing onto bush or sitting near open land give snakes more places to shelter close to a home, so a sighting like this one isn't unusual as development spreads into areas snakes already use.
What can be done?
Checking for gaps under a house slab or foundation, and sealing them where possible, can help keep snakes from denning close to where pets and family spend time. A vet check after any snake sighting, even without obvious symptoms, can catch a bite before it becomes an emergency, as it did here.
The catcher's team said, "He pulled through thankfully but this was an unusual case – two eastern browns in the same yard in such a short period, and one very unlucky (but brave!) dog bitten twice."
Where can I learn more?
For more on venomous snake encounters in Australia and elsewhere, start with the stories below. They cover aggressive snake run-ins, backyard scares, and warnings that bite risks could rise in more places.
• In Australia, one of the deadliest snakes kept striking at a catcher's hook.
• On an Australian beach, a highly venomous banded sea krait turned up near shore.
• As temperatures rise, venomous snakes could spread into new regions worldwide.
• Across billions of lives, snakebite threats are rising as venomous ranges shift.
• A homeowner was bitten after moving a porch snake to spare it.
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