A one-year-old Staffie had to have its leg amputated after allegedly being bitten by a snake in a Lanarkshire park.
Stella was reportedly bitten by an adder snake while being walked near a stream in Calderglen Country Park on June 22.
She had to be rushed to the vet four days later where the agonising decision was made to amputate her hind leg, reports the Daily Record.
Stella's dog walker, who runs Awwz & Pawz, said she heard the pup yelp out while she was being walked with other dogs but had initially thought it was a small cut.
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She said: "We were walking a route which I've done hundreds of times. She was a bit away from me. When she was bitten that's when I ended the walk.
"She had what looked like a cut on her paw. I washed it out when I saw it and hoped it wouldn't be too painful.
"Stella's owner took her to the vet and she was given antibiotics but the wound began to look infected and was causing her a lot of pain.
"Over the weekend Stella had lost function in her paw and the vet decided they would have to amputate her leg.
"After they amputated they could see the wound from the inside and the vet confirmed it was a snake bite.
"The flesh on the paw was rotting away, it was horrific."
Stella is now recovering at home after her operation and will have physio to learn to walk with three legs.
The dog walker, who also runs a grooming business, shared pictures of Stella's wound on Facebook in a warning to pet owners.
She wrote: "[The vet] said that more adder bite cases have been brought in so please be aware and avoid places they might be especially after they come out of hibernation from early Spring to August. The warm dry weather is preferable for them so that may be why they have been out more, so be especially more vigilant and cautious on the nice summer days."
Following a post on social media detailing Stella's condition, South Lanarkshire Council carried out an investigation and consulted "experts in the field of herpetology" who concluded that there are no snakes in the park.
A spokesperson said: "An important note regarding claims that a dog was bitten by an adder in Calderglen Park in East Kilbride.
"This has been investigated by the council and there is absolutely no evidence of any adders in this area, let alone any dog being bitten by one.
"Our thoughts are with the dog that did sustain an injury and its owner.
"However, our investigations have found no evidence the injury was caused by an adder.
"We have also consulted experts in the field of herpetology, which is the study of amphibians and reptiles, and their clear advice is that adders are not present in East Kilbride or Calderglen Country Park."
An SSPCA spokesperson said: "Adders tend to keep themselves to themselves and don't bite unless they are scared, unfortunately, dogs tend to approach them without fear, startle them, and get bitten.
"If the venom stays in the tissues around the bite, it will cause pain and swelling, but if it spreads further and gets into the bloodstream, it can cause much more serious problems such as damage to the liver, kidneys, heart and nervous system.
"If venom is injected straight into the bloodstream, it can cause death very quickly. It can also be very serious if your dog is bitten on the face or neck because swelling can lead to breathing problems."
