Husky bitten twice by adder at Midland beauty spot

Nushka, a two-year-old husky, was bitten by the venomous snake at Kinver Edge.

It caused her to collapse and she had to be treated with an emergency anti-venom.

Following the near-fatal attacks, owner Chris Poole is warning other dog owners and parents to be alert when visiting the site owned by The National Trust.

Mr Poole, 38, from White Hill in Kinver, said his dog was lucky to be alive after she was bitten once on her paw on May 4 and again on her nose on May 15.

He said: "The first time it happened she collapsed 10 minutes after she was bitten and if I hadn't have got her to the vets in time she would have died. The emergency vet put her on a drip for 24 hours and it took her more than a week to recover."

Once the family pet was well enough, Mr Poole continued to walk her in the area, believing the bite to be a 'freak incident' having walked there every day for two years, but on May 15, Nushka, was bitten again.

Mr Poole said: "It happened very quickly but I saw her jump in the air before passing out. Because of the swelling on her face the vet had to insert a pipe down her throat to help her breathe."

Mr Poole had to dash to Coventry to get the anti-venom because adder bites are so rare the vets did not stock it.

Nushka's vets bills have totalled £1,500 and Mr Poole is currently in the process of claiming the money back from his insurers.

The dog owner claims the National Trust has released adders into the area for conservation reasons and his dog is not the only victim, but the Trust deny this.

He said: "It is a beautiful place and I don't want to scare people or put them off going but I think they should be aware.

"Many walkers I have spoken to have seen adders basking on the pathways and if children are playing in the area a bite could be fatal."

Simon Barker, Wildlife and Countryside Adviser for the National Trust in the Midlands, said: "We are concerned to hear about the recent incident, but would like to reassure people that bites by adders are extremely rare.

"There is a small, naturally occurring population of adders at Kinver Edge and the species is native to the area.

"They mainly live in one small part of the site and are very shy so rarely seen – in fact many people that have worked or volunteered at Kinver for years have never spotted an adder there.

"If dog walkers or other members of the public do spot an adder, we would recommend they avoid it."

Helen Priest, Veterinary Surgeon at Severn Edge Vets in Stourbridge, treated Nushka and said it is the first bite she has seen in 25 years.

"Adder bites are extremely rare but can be fatal," she said.

"If you do suspect that your animal has been bitten it is a veterinary emergency, especially if they are bitten on the face because swelling may affect their breathing."