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15 07.22
admin admin 2 min read Advice

My dog was bitten by a viper. What should I do?

Early spring is already the time when adders wake from hibernation and begin their activity, which lasts until late autumn. Walking through forests, or even nearby meadows or less frequented field roads, we can encounter them basking in the sun.

What does a common European adder look like? How can you recognize bite symptoms and what should you do if an adder bites a dog? What does bite treatment look like and how can it be prevented? We write about all this in our article.

Table of contents

How to recognize an adder

If we witnessed our dog being bitten by an adder, or noticed concerning behavior during a walk, such as a yelp and sudden jump away from the place where it was standing, we should go to a veterinarian immediately.

  • the first stage – acute. It lasts up to 2 hours after the injury. Due to the bite location or a large dose of venom per 1 kg of body weight, it may result in the dog’s death if immediate treatment is not undertaken.
  • the second stage lasts up to 24 hours after the injury. If the dog is active and remains alert during this time, the risk of death is lower.
  • the third stage – about 10 days after the bite. This is the final stage, in which the animal recovers with appropriate treatment support.

    • How to avoid a bite?

    The only way to minimize the risk of a dog being bitten by an adder is proper supervision of the animal during walks. To effectively prevent possible hunting of adders, the dog should be kept on a leash. It is also worth practicing reliable recall with your pet, especially in the case of dogs predisposed to hunting.

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