24/04/2026
This is Baxter - he sadly died after a suspected adder snake bite near a Welsh beach. π His owner is raising awareness in the hope of saving other dog lovers from the same heartbreak.
Baxter's decline was so sudden. One minute, he was running around like thefit, healthy five-year-old spaniel he was. The next, he had to be carried around. He didn't even yelp, just held his paw in the air. π
Just 30 minutes after the suspected bite, he had been sick, and his breathing was ragged. He was carried in to see the vet on a rug, where he was given anti-histamines and paracetamol and placed on a hydration drip. But it wasn't enough.
Owner Jo arranged to pick him up that evening, but then she got the devastating phone call that he had taken a turn. She shared. "His heart had stopped and, by the time I got there, he had died." π
Determined to warn others of the risk, she shared a cautionary message on Facebook. "Dog owners often associate adders with coastal dunes but this happened on grassland. They can be found in any open, sunny habitat. This year they seem to have come out early. Usually they will do their best to avoid people and dogs. But early in the year, as they emerge from hibernation, they can be a little drowsy and might not be so quick to get away, so extra care is needed."
Despite sharp rises in the UK's dog population, adder bites remain unusual and fatalities are exceptionally rare. While almost all bitten dogs display symptoms, 95.4% reportedly survive with swift veterinary intervention.
Deaths typically occur if the bite goes untreated, and are more frequent in smaller dogs.