Common European Adder Bites in DogsThe only venomous snake in the UK is the Common European Adder (Vipera berus). It is not considered to be a particularly dangerous snake. Dogs are the animals most commonly bitten by these snakes; although the bites are painful they are rarely fatal. Adders are a protected species and should not be harmed.
The Common European Adder is fairly widespread throughout the UK. It can be found in a variety of habitats including woodland areas, moors, heathland, meadows, coastal dunes, hedgerows, and the banks of streams, lakes and ponds. The individual appearance of adders is variable but they can usually be identified by the dark V or X shape on the back of the head. Most adders also have a zig-zag pattern on their back which runs all the way along the body as far as the tail. Adders are quite timid in nature and will not usually bite unless they feel threatened or cornered.
Dogs are relatively frequent victims of adder bites due to their nature of exploring undergrowth and their general inquisitiveness. Adder bites often occur when a dog is out on a walk and exploring the areas where snakes are basking in the sun. This makes them likely to disturb the snakes, either accidentally or due to their investigative actions. Dogs are frequently bitten on the face and limbs but bites can occur on any part of the body. Most snake bites tend to occur between March and October when the snakes are more active due to the warm weather.
If your pet is bitten by an adder (or you suspect that it may have been) you should seek prompt veterinary attention. Do not attempt first aid measures such as sucking out the venom or applying a tourniquet- these procedures are ineffective and may even cause further harm to your pet.
The severity of signs seen in animals as a result of snake bites is variable and depends upon several factors; these include the site of the bite and the size of the animal (smaller animals being at more risk of severe problems due to the relative dose of venom to their bodyweight). Most adder bites result in pain and inflammation, but are not usually fatal. However, if your pet is bitten by an adder it should be considered to be an emergency and prompt veterinary attention should be sought, since in severe cases dogs may sometimes collapse and die following an adder bite.
The most effective treatment for adder bites is anti-venom; vets may be able to obtain this from the local hospital if required. Supportive treatment such as anti-inflammatory drugs, i/v fluids and antibiotics may also be given as and when they are needed by affected dogs.
© Samantha Coe. All rights reserved. Further information, news and pet-related healthcare articles are available at vetbase.co.uk
Questions Answered
|
Skin problem on snake (reptile) (30-Jan-07 09:49PM)
Asha asks:
The skin on my royal python's belly is dry, brown and flakey and seems to be dead. ... view
|
|
Hasn't gone toilet in nearly 2 weeks (reptile) (05-Apr-07 02:12PM)
Owen asks:
Hi there,
My Northern Pine Snake hasn't gone to the toilet for almost 2 weeks. Am starting to worry about him, He has had 3 small Rats and a Chick in ... view
|
|
Bleeding from the nose in lungworm (dog) (08-Feb-07 04:15PM)
Coleen asks:
My friend's dog has been bleeding from the nose & the vet has treated him for lungworm. Could you tell me what this is? ... view
|
|
Behavioural problems (dog) (26-Jan-07 10:03PM)
Anjela asks:
I am finding it really hard to train Mini she will sit but thats about it, just when I think were getting somewhere she will keep us up all night barking. ... view
|
|
Large red blisters appear with dry skin (dog) (28-Jan-07 03:09PM)
Elizabeth asks:
My dog's skin seems to be infected with round red blisters that dry and the skin flakes off. His skin also feels very bumpy below these blisters. Is this a ... view
|
|
Sore anus (na) (08-Feb-07 06:20PM)
Dean asks:
I have recently been given a cat and don't know anything about her medical history, only that she is about 9 months old and is not neutered. In the last 2 ... view
|
|
infected wound in cat (cat) (26-Mar-07 12:12AM)
Gayla asks:
Will the puncture wound start to drain on its own. Will terramycin be good or bad for it? ... view
|
|
removing haematoma (dog) (19-Jun-07 11:16PM)
Michelle asks:
Len has a haematoma in his left outer ear. I have been advised to get it removed (drained) before it hardens and to do this he will need a ... view
|
|
dog chewing his leg (dog) (26-Feb-07 09:53PM)
Colin asks:
My dog will not stop chewing at one of his rear legs. He has broken the skin. I had a 'lampshade' on him for about 3 weeks at a ... view
|
|
bleeding (rabbit) (25-Jan-07 10:07PM)
Kirsty asks:
i have two girl rabbits and one of them is bleeding, there are blood patches in the area they urinate, she is also not eating. ... view
|
|
dry nose (na) (01-Mar-07 10:49PM)
Paul asks:
My dog has a dry discoloured nose and very sleepy what could be wrong? ... view
|
|
Anal secretion (dog) (18-Sep-07 06:17PM)
Kerrie asks:
When Willow sits on us, sometimes she leaves small, dark, wet patches on us which smell really bad. She is due her second season but it does not appear to be ... view
|
|
Broken Tail (cat) (26-Jan-07 10:56AM)
Margo asks:
Hello
I'm not sure if my cat has broken his tail.. it is swollen at the base, with a cut (near his back) and is slightly bending to one side. It is ... view
|
|
Blood in dog's stools (dog) (31-Oct-07 08:53AM)
Lee asks:
Hi. We recently got a 3 year old Labrador from a friend. From what we can see she has a little weight problem as she was not walked regularly which we ... view
|
|
cat losing hair, vomiting, not eating (na) (02-Mar-07 11:35PM)
Nancy asks:
Young cat started losing hair on stomach and inner back thighs about 3 weeks ago. She recently started vomiting partially digested food. Yesterday she stopped eating. What could ... view
|
|
not eating (dog) (06-Mar-07 10:20AM)
Mark asks:
Sasha is 12 years old, she has gone very quiet, not getting up to greet me when I come home, has gone off food, drooling a little. Checked mouth; cannot see ... view
|
|
Blood in Poo (cat) (28-Oct-07 09:49PM)
Mandy asks:
Treacle is now 9 wks old and had her first vaccination two days ago. I have noticed that at least once a day she has a small amount of fresh bright ... view
|
|
labrador vomiting bile and nearly passing out (na) (22-Oct-07 08:42PM)
Paul asks:
Hi there - our five year old male labrador is generally in very good health - excellent appetite, plenty of exercise etc. Occasionally he vomits yellow bile which we are told ... view
|
|
wobbly hind legs (dog) (29-May-07 02:38PM)
Ruth asks:
7 lb. Shi Tzu, 5 years old, otherwise healthy, is refusing to walk (but will go outside for short periods). I can see her wrist and elbow joints wobbling when ... view
|
|
Cat Dribbling (A Lot) (cat) (22-Sep-07 12:29PM)
Steve asks:
I have noticed today that everywhere my cat has been sitting is a damp patch. He is dribbling all the time at the moment and hasn't eaten properly this morning. This ... view
|
|
|  |
Your Questions Answered
|
Injured Wild Owl 30-Nov-07
Kelly asks:
I found an owl this morning, very small but adult. It flew into a power line. It's still alive. ... view
|
|
swollen hind leg 20-Nov-07
 Zshai asks:
I have a 6-day-old bunny who has a swollen hind leg. I saw her mama step on her but ... view
|
|
Sick syrian hamster 08-Nov-07
Sara asks:
Hi. My syrian hamster is 2 and half yrs. old. The last 24 hrs I have noticed a big ... view
|
|
lack of sleep 07-Nov-07
Bill asks:
We have a 14 month old Yorkshire terrier, which goes to bed at around 6.30pm, because I have MS ... view
|
|
wet tail 06-Nov-07
Evelyn asks:
Can a young hamster be successfully treated for wet tail and what would it roughly cost? ... view
|
|
Alfie 06-Nov-07
Elaine asks:
Hi Sam
Thank you. Alfie has no feeding time he just has food in his bowl when he wants it ... view
|
|
Guarding problem 05-Nov-07
 Elaine asks:
Alfie is a terrible guarder and will take your hand off if you try and retrieve an object he ... view
|
|
White Gums and Dark Stool 02-Nov-07
Leslie asks:
My 8 week old American Bulldog has really white gums, around the eyes is also white. She has dark ... view
|
|
Dog's Health 01-Nov-07
William asks:
My dog is around 11 years old, possibly older (we received her as she was taken from a bad ... view
|
|
behaviour 31-Oct-07
Debby asks:
Hi Max is very lively of course but he seems to get very excited and bites the children, not ... view
|
|
Blood in dog's stools 31-Oct-07
Lee asks:
Hi. We recently got a 3 year old Labrador from a friend. From what we can see she has ... view
|
|
upset stomach 30-Oct-07
kat asks:
About three days ago my dog started acting like she was sick; diarrhoea and vomiting along with excessive sneezing ... view
|
|
Blood in Poo 28-Oct-07
Mandy asks:
Treacle is now 9 wks old and had her first vaccination two days ago. I have noticed that at ... view
|
|
neutering 27-Oct-07
 ashen1956 asks:
3 days ago Molly-Mae gave birth to 5 kittens. How long should I wait before having her neutered and ... view
|
|
Ordering Insulin Online 26-Oct-07
Purdie asks:
Purdie is diabetic and I'm keen to find a way of reducing the cost of the treatment. Currently ... view
|
|
Fleas and skin problem 26-Oct-07
Joanne asks:
I have two cats, a neutered tom and his sister. They are 6 and a half yrs. old. They ... view
|
|
My cat has a hole in its stomach! 23-Oct-07
Sarah asks:
My cat has a hole the size of a dime in its stomach. He doesn't seem to be ... view
|
|
labrador vomiting bile and nearly passing out 22-Oct-07
Paul asks:
Hi there - our five year old male labrador is generally in very good health - excellent appetite, plenty ... view
|
|
Guinea pig fits 22-Oct-07
Renate asks:
My guinea pig is acting strange. I've only had him around a week and he's running as if spooked ... view
|
|
feeding 22-Oct-07
Terry asks:
Is it safe to feed my GSD raw chicken wings, he is 16 months old and is 37 kg? ... view
|
|
|
