Family’s dog dies after being bitten by snake

A FAMILY were left “devastated” after their dog had to be put down when he was bitten by a snake during a walk on Caerphilly mountain.

Katy Davies, 29, was walking with her husband Richard, three-year-old son Rory, and dog Oscar last Tuesday morning when their beloved pooch was bitten by an adder.

Mum Katy, from Energlyn, said: “Oscar had been in and out of the ferns. On their way back to the car Oscar came on to the path with his front right leg lifted unable to put it to the floor.”

They immediately took Oscar home but his foot began to swell during the day so they took him to the vets thinking he had twisted or broken his paw.

But as soon as the vet saw Oscar he knew it was a snake bite and immediately ordered a blood test.

It showed Oscar had problems with his kidney, liver and blood, and he was transferred to an out-of-hours clinic in Ystrad Mynach.

Katy said: “The next 36 hours we kept up to date with Oscar’s progress which continued to worsen, however we pushed for treatment desperately hoping for the best.

“He was given antibiotics, antivenom and a blood transfusion.” But the treatment didn’t work. Kirsty said: “At 2am on Thursday morning we had to make the heartbreaking decision to have him put to sleep. The poison had stopped his blood being able to clot as normal and the vet believed that he was now bleeding internally – possibly into his chest, causing breathing difficulties.”

The whole family was left devastated by the sudden turn of events but now wants to warn others about the dangers of snake bites.

Katy said: “We have been left completely heartbroken and can’t believe how a simple dog walk in a place that we have taken him time and time again could end in such tragic circumstances.

“I also dread to think what could have happened if it had been our three-year-old that stood on the snake.

“The support we have received from people has been unbelievable and we hope that if one dog can be saved then something positive can come out of our nightmare.”

A spokesman for Caerphilly council said the area where Oscar was bitten was not its land but it is looking into the possibility of adding warning signs.