Adder bite to dog

[chellie]

Hi i have been walking my dog in the same area for years and never had any problems. Untill thursday he was bitten by an adder the vet thinks and so far so good he is now back home and we hope he will make a full recovery.
My concern is the field that we take him on is used by footballers, rugby players, cricketers and children from the estate we informed enviormental health as we do not want to see a child harmed and they said that they dont have to put up notices? to warn people using the field has anybody had experiences of this and where or who do we contact to try and warn others?
chell

[Dogghound]

Adder bites are very rare. They are unlikely to pose much of a risk especially to people playing sports as they are unlikely to stray into the middle of a field away from cover. Although I do understand your concerns.

[chellie]

thanks for the reply I have read they are quite shy what worries me is the children that use the field because they like all young children like to make dens.
and of course sometimes their rubber balls run in to the undergrowth as this is near the pitches and this is where cas was bitten.
I am sure that no one else is going to get hurt and hopefully cas is going to make a full recovery his vet said that he is the worse case of snake bite he has treated.

[Rob_D]

Hi Chellie, I'm glad your dog is OK.

Putting notices up might be counter-productive - children might be tempted to try to find the adders and catch them - I know I would have when I was young. Bites are rare, but many of them come from people trying to pick the snake up.

[Adam Cheeseman]

You could also let your local Wildlife Trust recorder know about the presence of Adders on this site. They are a protected species and a UKBAP species of priority conservation concern.

Cheers,

Adam

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

Hi Chellie, I'm glad your dog is OK.

Putting notices up might be counter-productive - children might be tempted to try to find the adders and catch them - I know I would have when I was young. Bites are rare, but many of them come from people trying to pick the snake up.

We've found that putting up notices usually encourages people to go looking for them and not necessarily for the right reasons.

Cheers,

Adam

[nightshade]

Very few people are bitten because they (the Adders) move away very quickly when the ground vibrations warn them that children and adult humans are about.
The Dog is often a victim of a panic reflex strike because they come onto
the Adder very fast as if attacking the snake. You must have used this particular walk for years and had no problem, adder bites are comparatively rare. Do not put up notices, just keep it to yourself (if you will ) or some mindless idiots will beat to death anything that moves, Slow worms, Grass Snakes, old cycle tyres they will stop at nothing

[aland]

Good advice nightshade, there are so many people around that thinks they have the rights to end just about any creatures life, it as really got to me this last few years, I am petrified of snakes of any kind but would never think to endanger one i just run for my life, people around here shoot every pigeon they can, foxes for the sake of it, as far as i am concerned they are cowards, I expect i will get some reply about protecting some thing or other, some silly excuse, any way no notices please the chance of meeting adders etc is very small, aland.

[chellie]

Hi and thanks to everybody who has replied to my thread I have reported the sighting to one of the sites that requests updates on whereabouts.
And I understand what you are saying,baout not making their presence to well known.
I feel that maybe they have been driven to find new sites due to some heavy road building that has been going on near us but they place posters in forest's may be they should look at placing them else where as well
I know that one has been killed and this was before the attack by some children which although even before this is didnt like snakes I would not wish to see them harmed.
He is still not out of danger yet due to the reaction he has had to the venom and I am hoping that he will continue to improve.

[GeoffS]

Hayfever tablets usually work well with dogs that have been bitten by an adder - that said when I got bitten in 2003 I did realise just how painful and ill I would feel for 48 hours..... and bee and wasp stings don't bother me... and I'm a fit healthly person.....