The quick medical action for cocker spaniel Bella and mini labradoodle Muttley guaranteed both animals made a complete healing.
Priory Veterinary Group’s health center in Purewell, Christchurch, was on hand to come to help of the dogs following different snake events in the New Forest.
In a post on social networks, a representative for the veterinarians said: “Adder venom is at its most powerful throughout the early season, and increasing temperature levels suggest that adders end up being progressively mobile. It is for that reason exceptionally essential to be watchful on these warmer days.
“If you suspect that your dog has been bitten by an adder, if any sudden and significant swelling, pain or bruising becomes apparent on your pet during a walk, then please call us right away.”
They included: “The severity of the reaction to the venom is based on a number of factors so it is important to seek emergency treatment as soon as possible.”
Muttley suffered his snake bite when he was out on a walk at Avon Tyrrell while Bella fell ill at Wilverley Enclosure.
The fast thinking about Nathan Fletcher guaranteed four-year-old Bella got the help she required as quickly as possible after he hurried the 15kg canine back to the car.
The 25-year-old, who works as a chef at The Jetty in Christchurch, said it had actually been a regular walk at the popular rural area till the pooches behaviour began to alter.
Mr Fletcher informed the Daily Echo: “Bella is rather an irregular dog, she’s rather insane, doesn’t actually pertain to you if you call her.
“She was acting a bit unusual. She sat by my legs and I didn’t actually understand what she was doing. I believed she sought a treat. She wasn’t actually acting herself.
“The next thing I understand she came and put her head in my lap and she had 2 enormous bite marks in her nose.
“At this point, she couldn’t walk or stand, so I needed to select her up and run her straight back from the other end of Wilverley Plain all the method back to the car and after that get to the veterinarians.
“She loves just running around and not really listening to you. For her to come over and sit by my feet and put her head in my lap made me wonder what was wrong so I did a check over her whole body and I saw the two red marks on her nose and I instantly knew she had been bitten by a snake.”
Bella the cocker spaniel (Image: The Fletcher family)
Mr Fletcher, who resides in New Milton, said the veterinarians did a “cracking” job and they applauded him for acting quickly after finding the bite.
Asked what recommendations he would provide to other dog owners, he said: “Everyone knows their dog better than anyone else so if you notice anything different or a little change check them over. If there is something wrong, get them to the vets as soon as possible.”
Nicola Holmwood, Priory Veterinary Group practice supervisor, said: “All of the vets and the nurses worked together and often with something like this it was after hours on a Friday but if people know it’s coming they will hang on and get it covered and we get a good outcome like this which is brilliant.”
She said adder bites frequently happen on a dog’s nose and feet however in some cases finding them is not apparent.
“Because both of these dogs were brought down really quickly and the owners knew what to do, we were able to treat them and get them back to health,” Ms Holmwood said.
Vet Marcus Willcock said: “As signed up customers, both Bella and Muttley received instant out-of-hours treatment at Christchurch health center.
“Anti-venom was not utilized in these 2 cases for varying factors, however with the proper treatment put in location the outstanding nursing care they received they both went on to make complete healings.”
