Dog nearly dies after adder bite
A DOG owner is warning others to be on the lookout after a adder bite nearly killed her pet.
Angie Evans was out walking her dog Ollie in Tonyrefail when the terrifying incident happened on Friday afternoon.
Now she wants to warn other dog owners and parents to be careful in the area.
In a public appeal Angie has asked other to be on the lookout for any snakes that will have recently come out of hibernation.
She said: “Please be careful walking up the windmills in Tonyrefail from the Bog pub.
“My dog was bitten by an adder snake right by the main path.
“Please don’t take a chance leaving your dog off their lead.
“This was a baby adder bite – if it had been an adult snake it would have been fatal.
“We normally do that walk at least four times a week and it is an area that is very, very popular with dog walkers and children so I want [people] to be aware this has happened and to be careful.”
She also thanked her friend Claire who acted quickly and helped carry Ollie to the car and get him straight to the vets.
On the way they contacted the vet to make sure they had anti-venom medication ready to administer and the pet was given pain relief and put on a drip to make sure he stayed hydrated.
Angie said: “The vet said not to let him walk, but he is making very good progress on his recovery. He is still very sore and quite fragile.
“We have had so many kind messages of concern for Ollie and I am so thankful that people have been helping to raise awareness about how serious this can be.”
There are three types of snake found in the UK but adders are the only venomous species.
The PDSA says adder bites tend to happen between February and October but are especially common between June and August and it most common for a dog to be bitten on the face, neck or lower leg.
Veterinary experts MediVets say that snake bites for dogs should be treated as an “emergency” and add that quick response and treatment are key.
If your dog is bitten by an adder, they say you should: ■ carry your dog as this will help to prevent the venom from circulating further around their body; ■ bathe the wound in cold water; and
■ keep your dog warm and as calm and still as possible to prevent the venom from spreading.
Their advice says: “If you suspect that your dog has been bitten by an adder you should take them to your vet immediately. “An untreated adder bite can result in a dog becoming dehydrated, having tremors as the venom spreads around their body, and can progress to organ damage if the reaction is severe enough.”
It also says that the vet will likely
treat the dog for shock and administer pain relief and antihistamine for the swelling. They may also use antivenom.
“Anti-venom is an effective way to treat severe snake bites. It binds itself to the venom so that it becomes inactive.”
Adders are normally small grey/ brown snakes with a distinctive V-shaped marking on their head and dark zig-zag pattern down their back.
They are most common in long grass, woodland, moorland and by the coast in sand dunes and along coastal paths.