It may take several hours for signs of a bite to become evident. The warm, dry and windy weather conditions at present are increasing the risk of wildfires and Fire Services nationally are on high alert.Find out how to create a grass snake egg-laying site and why it's so importantARC issues a reminder that garden netting can prove fatal for amphibians and reptiles.ARC has been awarded £20,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation this month, which supports initiatives that deliver environmental solutions and enhance public awareness.New advice answering some of the most frequently asked questions about adder bites.Study finds emerging fungal pathogen amongst European snake populationsEmerging fungal pathogen amongst European snake populationsRecording wildlife crimes in partnership with the Bat Conservation TrustWhere to find grass snakes, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.where to find adders, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Where to find the smooth snake, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Advice on how to help the snakes and lizards in your garden.Advice on how to help the frogs, toads and newts in your garden.Where to find slow-worms (legless lizard), how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Let us know which amphibians and reptiles you've seenwhere to find adders, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Where to find the natterjack toad, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Where to find grass snakes, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Where to find the great crested newt, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status.Find contact details for our staff based across the UK.Where to find the smooth newt, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status. In recent decades there have been a number of life-threatening adder bites – i.e. Snakes generally only bite in self-defence, so normally bites occur when a snake is stepped on or disturbed by your dog. Clinical toxicology, 52(4), 258-264. (2009). (1996). Other symptoms that your dog has been bitten by an adder include pale gums, salivating, lethargy and vomiting or diarrhoea. Note that adder bites do not always leave two puncture wounds in the skin; such marks typically vary from one to three, and they are not always obvious. In particular it can be very useful to know where the dog was bitten, since in large areas of Britain adders are absent or scarce, making a bite less likely. Adder bites to other pets and to farm animals are rarely reported. Coulson, J. M., Cooper, G., Krishna, C., & Thompson, J. P. (2013). (2011). Very rarely, adders enter houses or are brought in by cats, and in such cases it is best to have an experienced person remove the snake to a safe place. Although it is a stressful situation, try to remain calm and bear in mind that your dog is highly likely to make a full recovery. There have been 14 recorded human deaths from adder bite since 1876, the last being in 1975. Symptoms of a bite usually include a rapid and painful swelling, localised around two small puncture marks (however, these may not always be visible due to the swelling).
NPIS/Public Health England. Adders feed mainly on lizards and small mammals, and like many members of the viper family their venom has primarily local and haemotoxic effects, causing the demise of prey via effects on blood, cells and tissues. However, this seems to happen very rarely, and these stowaway snakes are likely to perish either en route or shortly after arrival. Around 100 reports per year of adder bite are typically made to vets specialising in poisoning; it is likely that many more bites go unrecorded. Download our leaflet Effects may include: shock; severe pain at the location of the bite; swelling, redness and bruising at the location of the bite; nausea and vomiting; diarrhoea; itchy lumps on the skin; swelling of the lips, tongue, gums and throat; breathing difficulties; mental confusion, dizziness or fainting; irregular heartbeat. It is usually not appropriate to attempt to remove adders from gardens, though very occasionally this is warranted where there is an imminent risk to vulnerable people. When off the lead, discourage it from exploring areas that adders may take refuge in.
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