Sam the Staffie spent three days fighting for his life after being bitten on the nose by an adder while out for a walk on the Gower. He is now recovering at home but his owner Charlotte wants to warn the others of the dangers of bites amid a growing number of reported incidents.
The vet bill cost more than £3,500 to save her dog's life and Charlotte, who asked us not to use her surname, said it was worth every penny and urged other pet owners to make sure they have insurance if they can. They had been out for a walk in the Llangennith area of the Gower, a trip they often make, when Charlotte spotted the snake curled up on the path.
The adders are most active between April and July, which is also the time when the majority of bites have been reported historically. Adults are described as being roughly 50 to 60cm long and have a black and brown zigzag pattern along their back and V- or X-shaped marking on the back of the head.
Read more: My dog nearly died from adder bite too
"I am absolutely terrified of snakes so I am always on the look out for them," said Charlotte. "I just started screaming when I saw it there curled up on the path. Sam came to have a look what was going on and it bit him on the nose before we could get him away.
"We knew we had to get him to a vet straightaway but ours was more than an hour and a half away. We got in the car and gave them a call and they said to get him to the nearest one and gave us details of veterinary hospital that would take us. We gave them a call to make sure they had some anti-venom because not all practices stock it. At first he seemed okay and was still full of energy so they just gave him some antihistamine to start with and said they would keep him in so they could monitor his condition."
Sam was kept in for observation but about eight hours after he was bitten the vets started to become concerned because the bump on his nose had got much bigger and there was swelling to his head and neck that was starting to affect his breathing. "We were getting multiple calls through the day and night," said Charlotte. "They decided it was time to give him anti-venom but the side effects they warn you about with that are terrifying.. They even warned it could cause death. It is the same treatment they give to humans because there is not a specific one for dogs and it can cause them lots of problems.
"Each dog is different and reacts differently. By this point the swelling was so bad he couldn't eat or drink and he sounded like a dinosaur when breathing and we were told to brace ourselves."
It costs £819 per 5ml vial of anti-venom and Sam needed two before he started to get over the worst of his symptoms. Charlotte said: "Sam is worth every penny and we have insurance so we didn’t worry too much about the £3,500 bill but it still had to be be paid in full up front and then we can claim it back.
"During conversations we had with friends and locals on the Gower whilst Sam was in the vet hospital many told us that they had seen loads of adders about in the last two years. One person said that last spring there were loads of adders sunning themselves on the beach and there was another dog who came into the vet that night with a bite. They said they had not seen a dog bite for years and then they had two on the same evening.
"Whether it’s warmer weather or the fact there’s been less people around the last few years because of restrictions it’s definitely a cause for concern and I'd like to ensure more people are aware of the seriousness of adder bites and to make sure they keep a close eye on their dogs."
If your dog is bitten by an adder experts 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
- Keep your dog warm and as calm and still as possible to prevent the venom from spreading
There are three types of snake found in the UK but adders are the only venomous species. The PDSA says adder bites are especially common between June and August and it most common for a dog to be bitten on the face, neck, or lower leg.
Adders are normally small grey/brown snakes with a distinctive V-shaped marking on their head and dark zigzag pattern down their back. They are most common in long grass, woodland, moorland, and by the coast in sand dunes and along coastal paths.
