Adder Bite Story

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by griffina2

I have seen grass snakes in the garden around the pond, and I think it was them that took all our fish, so I suppose it is logical that adders could be present too.

I'm surprised that you have adders and grass snakes in your garden. Their prefered habitats are completely different.

Jim

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Forestknights

I am surprised that a large dog like a Rottweiler was killed by an Adder bite. Its unusual for the first strike of an adder to envenomate. The Rottweiler also has a large mass and as long as it recieve prompt treatment I would have expected a fairly good recovery.

That was my thinking too - my first reaction to this story was the Rot had an underlying kidney or liver problem. (or it was a captive snake that had escaped - as WW says, habitat really not Adder territory). Most people wouldn't know the difference between a grass snake or an Adder or a slow worm - a snake's a snake!

[Picidae]

Sorry to hear of your Collie, Griffina - I'm surprised the Vet didn't do a toxicology/venom test. Adder bites from dogs are nearly always on the snout, so under the armpit seems a strange place for it to have been bitten. If I were living on a farm, I think I would also be concerned about infection from a rat bites if I had dogs - types of wounds can vary from single to multiple punctures, but they nearly always bite on more exposed areas of skin and often when the victim is asleep.

[Flywaver]

I finally saw my first Adder this year at Thorpeness on Suffolk Coast. People who say they are rare in gardens i would say if your garden backs on to to a track and heath/Woodland then surely they are pretty frequent. Especially out for a hunt. I have been bought up raising Tortoises and i guess behaviour is the same once the body is heated up. The Adder today certainly could move and our Tortioses go in 4x4 mode once they get there sun charge!