Warning after greyhound bitten by snake at beauty spot
A greyhound had to be rushed to the vets after it was bitten by an adder at a beauty spot in Staffordshire.
Lynn Pallatina was taking Cookie out for a walk at Cannock Chase.
The snake was hiding in undergrowth and bit the eight-year-old retired greyhound on the nose.
Miss Pallatina said her beloved pet was recovering at the PDSA animal hospital in Quinton, Birmingham.
Mother-of-one Miss Pallatina, from Hednesford, said: "I took Cookie out for a walk on Monday.
"She wandered over to some undergrowth. She was sniffing around and then jumped back suddenly.
"I went over to see what happened and saw for a brief second the back of a snake."
Miss Pallatina thought nothing more of it until Cookie started opening and closing her mouth and lay down on the ground.
Miss Pallatina added: "She looked very depressed as well so I took her to the vets.
"The vets in Wolverhampton asked if Cookie had been bitten by anything and it only clicked then than that it may have been the adder."
Cookie was given anti-venom and was put on a drip. Miss Pallatina, aged 29, said the swelling around Cookie's face had started to go down but admitted she was still worried her pet may not pull through.
She continued: "She is a lot better than she was but she's not out of the woods yet. Her organs could still fail and she could die.
"The vets say it will be seven days before we definitely know if she is going to be alright. I just want other dog owners to be aware of the dangers of adders on the Chase."
Kay Brough, head nurse at Wolverhampton PDSA, said: "Cookie was bitten on her face by an adder and without treatment it's quite possible she would have died, as adder venom is poisonous.
"She was immediately given pain relief and thankfully we were able to get hold of the anti-venom to treat her.
"She is now making good progress, however she isn't out of the woods completely and we will need to monitor her closely, as well as doing regular tests over the next week or two to check her kidney function hasn't been affected."
She added: "Adders are most commonly found on dry heaths and moors during hot sunny weather.
"Bites to dogs are thankfully quite rare but when seen they are usually on the face and limbs, most likely as a result of the snake attacking in self defence after being disturbed by an inquisitive dog.
"The venom causes severe, rapid swelling and two small puncture wounds may be visible at the centre. The dog will also show signs of acute pain and may appear nervous or apprehensive.
"If not treated it can cause them to collapse and can even be fatal. Any owner noticing any of these symptoms should call their vet immediately for advice. Don't touch the wound as this can spread the venom further."
See also: Husky bitten twice by adder at Midland beauty spot
