Spring Danger Alert: Dogs and Adder Bites
With the warmer weather upon us, it’s essential to be vigilant when walking your furry friends! The Adder (Vipera berus) is our only native venomous snake and potentially harms humans and animals. Most adder bites occur between March and October, when the snakes are most active. In this blog post, we’ll go over some essential things to know about adders and how to keep your dogs safe.
Adders are secretive and prefer avoiding contact with other animals and humans. However, until their body temperature rises sufficiently, they are slow and often cannot get out of the way when danger approaches. They will not attack unless they feel threatened.
Adders inhabit various habitats, including woodland, moors, heathland, meadows, coastal dunes, hedgerows, banks of streams, lakes, and ponds.
Dogs often get bitten by adders due to their curious nature and tendency to explore undergrowth, disturbing basking snakes which may strike in self-defence.
Bites tend to cause swelling and pain and will often be around the head, neck, lower legs, or feet. You might not see the snake, but you may hear your dog yelp. If you witness a bite (identified by two puncture wounds) or your dog suffers any of the symptoms below, seek prompt veterinary attention.
Signs of an adder bite:
Very rapid swelling around the area of the bite
Bruising or bleeding where bitten
Weakness and lethargy
Panting
Lameness
Drooling
Vomiting
If bitten, your dog may show some or all of these symptoms, and they are likely to get progressively worse as time passes after the incident. Adder bites are very painful, so even the most stoical dogs will show signs of severe discomfort and will not want to be touched around the bite area. If left untreated, the dog may develop tremors and convulsions, blood clotting disorders, and eventually collapse.
If you suspect that your dog may have been bitten but are not sure about what exactly happened, call your vet immediately for advice, even if your dog has not yet shown any signs. Do not risk your dog’s health by waiting for symptoms to appear. Remember, adder bites can be life-threatening if not treated in time.
Here are some first-aid tips for treating adder bites:
Don’t panic! If you don't remember the following steps at the scene, ring your vet, who will talk you through them.
Do try to keep calm. In this way, your dog is more likely to remain calm too. Stress and excitement can speed up your dog’s circulation and, therefore, the spread of toxins.
Ignore the snake. Do not risk getting bitten yourself, and remember that harming Adders is illegal as they are a protected species.
Do not prod or poke the bite area, it will be very painful, and your dog will not appreciate it.
Do not - under any circumstances - apply a tourniquet to your dog.
Carry or calmly walk your dog back to your vehicle. Excessive movement and excitement can speed up the spread of toxins.
Adders can vary from pale grey through the green-brown shade to reddish-brown and black. All colour varieties have a dark brown or black zig-zag pattern on their backs, but this cannot be easy to see in dim light.
Unless injured, the adder will move away from the scene as quickly as possible, so it is only rarely that the snake can be seen and identified.
Yours warmly, Zita x
Zita Wells
Pet Patrol 365
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