WORKING dogs will now be more protected from snake bites with the development of a new antivenom.
A pure and more efficient antivenom has been developed by the CSIRO, in conjunction with Dr Andrew Padula of Padula Serums, a small biotech company in regional Vic.
The antivenom has been created to treat eastern brown and tiger snake bites, both found throughout SA.
Prof George Lovrecz from the CSIRO said the new process is much more effective than those currently on the market because it is distilled and concentrated to create a pure, fully-tested antivenom which is ready to be injected into snake-bitten dogs.
“We used the latest technologies to make sure that the anti-venom is not only safe and effective but it’s also a lot cheaper to produce compared to existing products,” he said.
Dr Padula said that working with CSIRO helped turn his idea into a reality.
“I’ve been working on antivenom serums for dogs and cats for a while now but I really needed the expert equipment and skills of the CSIRO scientists to make the best product possible,” he said.
Once final testing has been completed and the antivenom has been given approval for sale from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, it will be available on the market and stocked by vets around the country.
The new treatment could also have implications for treating humans with snakebites and paralysing ticks.
The CSIRO are also researching the possibility of using a similar approach to treat other viruses like Ebola.
