NEWS.COM.AU (Sydney, Australia) 10 January 08 Snake bites woman, kills pet dog
(AAP) A Melbourne woman is in a stable condition in hospital after being bitten by a snake.
The woman, aged in her 20s, was bitten on her back in the yard of her Diamond Creek home about 11pm (AEDT) yesterday, Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesman Ray Rowe said.
The woman was taken to the Austin Hospital in a stable condition, but her pet dog, which was also bitten, has died.
Mr Rowe said snakes were far more active in warm weather and urged anyone who is bitten to call an ambulance.
"If someone is bitten they should be kept calm and an ambulance should be called as quickly as possible," Mr Rowe said.
"If they have been bitten on a limb, the limb should be bandaged each side of the bite to slow the venom from going through the system."
The wound should not be washed, because any traces of venom left on the skin would help hospital staff identify the type of snake and choose the correct antivenene if the snake was not seen or caught.
Snake bites woman, kills pet dog