An early start to the snake season has local vets caring for an influx of pets bitten by snakes.

Leigh Hanlon from the Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital said the unprecedented number of dogs and cats admitted to the clinic for treatment for snakebites was “overwhelming”.

“What we’re finding is this snake season is the longest and probably the worst we’ve had for 15 or 20 years,” Ms Hanlon said.

“We normally start seeing snakebites in September or October and this year it started in July, and at the moment almost every day we’ve got one (pet) coming in for treatment. Dogs and cats are really copping it.”

She said many snakes, including venomous brown snakes that “don’t need any encouragement and just lash out”, had been spotted at houses approaching dogs water bowls.

“We’ve had brown snake bites as well as bites from rough scales and red belly blacks, not just around Samford but also in suburban areas like Arana Hills and Ferny Grove,” she said.

Ms Hanlon said often the clinical signs of a snakebite would not be seen until hours after the incident.

“After they (the pet) get bitten they can get a bit wobbly and then vomit,” she said. “We had one dog that by the next morning (after being bitten) was semi comatose.”

Dianne Joyner from the Dayboro Veterinary Surgery said her clinic had also treated several dogs for snakebites in the past few weeks, with one pet dying.

“We had one dog that left here yesterday that was treated for a snake bite and also ticks, so it was quite lucky,” she said.

Tania Bishop from Dayboro’s Old Mill Veterinary Surgery said snakes would be both the hunters and the hunted during spring and summer.

She said recent unseasonably hot weather had resulted in more snakes and reptiles being killed or injured by vehicles.

Ms Bishop said the warm conditions had made the animals a target on roads, with a large number of carpet pythons, goannas and bearded dragons hit by cars in recent weeks.

“Recent unseasonably high temperatures have caused local reptiles to get a rude and very early wake-up call this season,” she said.

“The subsequent drop in temperature has then meant that groggy reptiles are seeking warm areas in order to get warm and more active.”

Ms Bishop said black bitumen radiating heat was both an attraction and a danger for reptiles.

“Unfortunately the easiest and warmest places for many reptiles to find (warmth) are bitumen roads,” she said.

“Groggy reptiles are less able to react and move away from danger and are therefore seen more and possibly stood on more, but also hit by cars more.”

Ms Bishop said while many snakes are harmless, she said people should be vigilant when taking walks in long grass or walking pets.

“The fact that snakes will be a bit groggy and slower will mean that they are less able to get away from us when they hear us approaching in long grass and bushes,” she said.

“Don’t try to kill them as most bites occur while people are doing this.”