A dog owner who thought her puppy was going to die after he was bitten in the face by an adder snake has issued a warning to walkers.
Labrador cross Rocco was out on a walk near Guisborough when he was bitten by the snake and quickly became floppy and unresponsive, the Mirror reports. As the 16-week-old puppy's face began to swell, he was rushed to the vet to be injected with anti-venom and pain relief.
Owner Hollie Serginson, from Lingdale, feared she was going to lose him on the 45-minute drive to receive emergency treatment.
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"It was a scary situation I wouldn't ever want someone else to be in," she said.
"My dad was with him and saw the snake next to Rocco hissing and slithering into the bushes angrily, Rocco jumped when bitten but didn't cry or whimper. Rocco's face began to swell immediately, he became floppy and unresponsive rapidly. My dad had to drive from the moors to Stockton vets as that was the only out-of-hours one open.
"During the 45-minute drive, my dad thought he was going to lose him as he was that unwell."
Thankfully, the young pup is now back at home and recovering, although he's still lethargic after all the medication. Hollie faced a £1,800 vet bill for his treatment but says she is just thankful he's on the mend.
"Rocco remained in the vets overnight on drips and had an antivenom injection amongst a cocktail of pain relief," she said.
"It was petrifying and we want to raise awareness for it. Rocco will have been curious of the snake in the middle of the path walkway.
"Please please be careful when walking your little four-legged friends over the moors at this time of year."
The adder is the UK's only venomous snake and usually hibernates from October to March. They can be found across the country and are greyish in colour with a distinct zig-zag pattern down their backs.
Adders tend to keep themselves to themselves and don't bite unless they are scared, but dogs tend to approach them without fear.
The PDSA say bites can make a dog very ill and can cause serious problems including liver, kidney and heart damage. If venom is injected straight into the bloodstream, it can also cause death very quickly.
If your dog has been bitten, the PDSA's first aid guidance advises pet owners to stay calm, try and remember what the snake looks like but don't try to find it.
You should call your vet to let them know you are on your way and carry your dog to your car for the journey.
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