HAMPSHIRE CHRONICLE (Winchester, UK) 06 September 10 Pets recovering after being bitten by poisonous snakes in Locks Heath (Melanie Adams)
Five dogs needed emergency treatment after being bitten by poisonous adders in the last four weeks.
The potentially fatal attacks left all five dogs seriously ill, as vets in Locks Heath raced against the clock to inject anti-venom serum before they suffered organ failure.
All are now recovering well at home but staff at Heathside Veterinary Surgery are worried that if owners are not aware of the dangers, the next dog might not be as lucky.
This spate of adder attacks comes just two weeks after the Daily Echo reported how doctors twice failed to spot that a Hampshire mum Janet Coxen had been bitten by the venomous snake while gardening, leaving her hospitalised.
Heathside vets normally treat one or two adder bites a year so they were shocked to see five come through their door in just one month.
Each of the attacks happened in Hook Park, near Warsash, with the latest two occurring within just 24 hours of each other at the weekend.
Paul Smith didn’t think there was a problem when his spaniel Button was diving in and out of brambles, running around the park as usual.
But an hour later, when they were back at their Sarisbury Green home, four-year-old Button suddenly became lethargic, his lip began to swell and Paul spotted a puncture mark on his snout.
The 63-year-old said: “Having seen adders up there before I suspected he had been bitten when he dived into the brambles, so I quickly drove him to the vets.
“When the vet explained the potential of heart failure we were terrified of losing him. He is part of our family and while it was distressing for him, it was devastating for us to watch it al happen.
“You can never stop these things from happening but I would urge other owners to just keep an eye on your dog and if you suspect they have been bitten, get them to a vet quick. Time is vital and can mean the difference between life and death.”
Just 24 hours later an adder plunged its fangs into the nose of Bruno, a black Labrador.
Having spotted the snake, owner Shirley Hale rushed the five-year-old to the vets, as he become more and more lethargic.
Unfortunately, Heathside Vets had used their last anti-venom serum on Button the night before, so Shirley had to race against the clock to pick up supplies from Hythe The 51-year-old from Warsash said: “It was touch and go for Bruno as his heart started to fail. It was awful.
“I just want other owners to be aware of the dangers and to take action immediately if they suspect an adder bite because if we had waited Bruno might not be here today.”
Hampshire County Council owns the land and has confirmed there are signs warning owners to keep their dogs on leads due to the adder population living there. Now they have vowed to check the signs are in prominent places and add extra ones if needed.
Wildlife experts believe there are a number of reasons for this latest spate of adder bites in dogs.
Natalie Rogers, from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, told the Daily Echo: “The main reason would be that certain parks and woodland favoured by adders are becoming more popular with dog walkers, who do not keep their dogs on leads.
“Another reason is the warm start to the summer, providing the right conditions for females to breed and at this time of year the young are being born. Adder bites are rare and they only bite when they are disturbed.”
The trust is keen to monitor the county’s adder population so if you spot one call their WildLine on 01489 774446.
Pets recovering after being bitten by poisonous snakes in Locks Heath

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