Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Adder bites in UK dogs cause swelling and tiredness mostly in spring
By Sutton, N M et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2011·Guy's Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine adder bites in the UK: a retrospective study of cases reported to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in the UK was reported to have been bitten by an adder, which is a type of snake. After the bite, the dog showed symptoms like swelling in the face and limbs, lethargy, and increased heart rate. Most dogs experienced both local and systemic effects, with symptoms appearing within two hours. Treatment with antivenom helped reduce swelling significantly, and most dogs recovered fully within about five days. While adder bites can be serious, the chances of death are low.
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Abstract
This retrospective study examined cases with follow-up reported to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) between September 1985 and December 2010. Most bites (69.2 per cent) occurred between April and July, particularly between 15:00 and 16:00 hours. Adder bites were more frequently reported in the south-east of England, particularly in Surrey. Swelling to the face and limbs was common, as was lethargy, depression, hyperthermia and tachycardia. About two-thirds of dogs developed both systemic and local effects, while a third developed local effects alone. Initial clinical effects usually occurred within two hours, with full recovery typically occurring five days after the bite. Antivenom was used in 55.9 per cent of cases and appeared to significantly reduce duration of oedema from an average of 94 to 47 hours. Adder bites can cause significant morbidity (97 per cent of dogs were symptomatic), but mortality is low (4.6 per cent died).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21868437/