Cobra spits at Durban dogs: Nick Evans on what to do
When Nick Evans get calls for a Mozambique Spitting Cobra in a property where there are dogs, he always worries. Cobras don't attack dogs, but dogs attack them, and other snakes. If the dog does attack, they're in for a nasty surprise, as some of these dogs at a home in Hillary found out.
"Most of the time the snake escapes unharmed. Most of the time."
And very, very rarely do dogs get bitten. They usually just get temporarily blinded. A far better result, of course if treated, than a life-threatening cobra bite.
Listen below to how this incident played out.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR DOG GETS SPAT AT BY A COBRA:
Firstly, get your dogs away from the snake. Then, with help from a
family member, you need to rinse the venom out of the eyes with water. A
hose pipe on low pressure or bottle of water works well. Don't use a
bowl.
Rinse as best as you can, but holding a dog still for this can be difficult.
If you succeed, it's a good idea to take your dog to your local vet for a check up and eye drops to sooth the pain.
If you are not managing, take the dog to the vet, and they can maybe sedate it and treat it effectively.
Meanwhile, Imagine seeing a very large Black Mamba (pictured above) casually slithering into your
home, through the lounge and down the passage, past your child's
bathroom, and into a bedroom? It happened in Reservoir Hills recently,
and Nick Evans rushed to the rescue.
This was a rather strange and incredible call for Nick, and for many, the stuff of terrifying nightmares!
A family in Durban's Reservoir Hills area had a large Black Mamba come to visit, and not in the 'usual' way! It wasn't discovered in a messy storeroom; it wasn't seen slithering through the garden - it was seen slithering through the front door!
However, as Nick explains, while it could have easily attacked the family, it didn't. Have a listen as to how this unfolded!
Catch Nick in his TV series, Snake Season on the People's Weather Channel on DSTV (180 and 115 on Open View) on Mondays at 6pm with a repeat at 9pm.
Listen to past Snake Rescue episodes via our channel below:
Nick's organisation, KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, is a chapter of The Lawrence Anthony Earth Organisation.
Contact Nick on 072 809 5806 for information about snake removals in the Greater Durban area. Email him if you'd like to find out about his educational talks.
Main image courtesy of Nick Evans