[Leidenschaftlich für Wahr]

I think my cat got bit by a snake last night, he has 2 puncture wounds... but nothing I've looked up online has indicated that he would have hair loss... He is losing all the hair around it from the marks downward, on his right front leg.
He hasn't had any panting, drooling, seizures, or anything abnormal - just hair loss and 2 puncture wounds. And it's a little swollen, but it's been over like 18 hours since it could have happened,
Jw... do snake bites usually cause hair loss in an animal?

[southamerica]

It can definitely happen. Depending on the type of snake and if there was any venom injected. You should really take your cat into the vet ASAP so he/she can determine that your kitty will be okay. Especially since there's swelling and hair loss, it should be looked at.

My best wishes for your kitty!

EDIT: I just wanted to add that I am posting this with confidence because my childhood dog lost hair around the site of a rattle snake bite. I assume it's the same for cats.

[Leidenschaftlich für Wahr]

Did your dog die? I haven't taken him because it doesn't look infected, and he hasn't shown any foaming, labored breathing, w/e... just a little swollen and hair loss. Looks like it might need to be lanced, but I don't want to be out 90 bucks just for the dog to lance it over there or tell me to put some a/bio cream on it O.o

[paleophlatus]

You say 'him', a tom-cat I suspect. If he's not been neutered, I suspect you want to also consider a simple cat fight as the source of the swelling and puncture marks. Could it be possible that he was out a few nights ago, when he may have gotten into a fight? If so, lets go to the swelling. Does it feel solid, or liquid filled? Liquid is suggestive of an abscess developing. If so, that is more of an inflammatory tissue reaction, possibly to a recent bite. Which will likely become an abscess within a week.

Cat bites are very infective (ever been bitten by a cat?) and abscesses are very common, especially among male cats who are out at night. Even if neutered, a male cat just wandering around can find himself in the wrong place with another neighborhood cat.

If this is an abscess, it will continue enlarging until it ruptures, spilling a couple tablespoons of yucky, pinkish, smelly pus into and onto the environment. The area will then be very slow to heal, without treatment, as well as messy. If caught before it ruptures, the vet will lance it, clean it out, and put him on a short course of antibiotics. They then usually heal without much excitement, or mess.

I'm with you, I don't think it's a snake bite. Cats are very quick and much more suspicious than a dog, and are less often bitten for those reasons. If it's an infection, expect the above, whether y9ou go to the vet in the next day or so, or not. Best wishes and hope this has helped.

[Leidenschaftlich für Wahr]

I took him to the vet... it was a snake bite and it has begun progressing and degenerating the tissue, but doc hooked him up with some a/bio and he is great now! Hair is growing back and everything! He is neutered.