After a walk in a Manchester park, a 1-year-old Labradoodle ended up needing urgent veterinary care for mystery bite marks.
Here's what to know
According to the Manchester Evening News, Rebecca Webster noticed Freddy's front leg had swollen and that he was limping the day after a walk at Boggart Hole Clough in north Manchester. Webster said Freddy had been off his lead in a wooded area with long grass and had stopped only briefly before carrying on.
At first, Webster thought Freddy had only picked up a graze and was given antibiotics and anti-inflammatory treatment. But his condition worsened quickly, with the swelling spreading through his leg and a loss of appetite. Two days later, the wound was leaking what she described as bloody pus.
Vets then admitted Freddy and sedated him so they could clean the wound and examine it more closely.
Webster said, "I got a phone call that afternoon and it was like, 'It looks like he's been bitten by a snake.' There were two clear fang marks, puncture wounds in his front left leg. I was like, 'What? A snake in Manchester? Come on.' You'd never expect it."
When the skin around the injury turned very dark, vets became concerned that some tissue might be dying and could need to be removed.
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More background
Webster said Boggart Hole Clough is a busy green space used by families and dog walkers, and her grandson often runs around there with the dogs.
"He could have been bitten as well," she said. "I just don't understand what kind of snake could have done it. Was it an exotic one that had escaped or been released? You just don't know, do you?"
The adder is Britain's only native venomous snake, but Webster said her vet did not think Freddy's injury was likely to have come from one because his blood clotting did not appear to be affected.
What's being done?
Webster said Freddy's wound seems to be healing better than expected, although they are still waiting to see how much nearby skin may ultimately be affected.
With surgery still possible if damaged tissue has to be cut away, Webster said her vet has contacted another provider about a specialist referral. She was told the initial estimate would be £4,000 to £8,000, and that the cost could rise depending on how many procedures Freddy may need.
Webster is trying to find out whether there have been other reports of snakes or similar injuries at Boggart Hole Clough to get a better idea of what happened to Freddy so other park users can be made aware of any possible risk.
The incident comes just days after Webster had learned that her 11-year-old cockapoo had terminal lymphoma.
"The week before, I got told that Phoebe had terminal cancer, and it was like, 'Oh my God, I'm going to lose two dogs,'" she said. "It was heart-wrenching. It was just so surreal. It was like I was living in a nightmare, to be honest."
Where can I learn more?
Unexpected snake encounters are on the rise as they are pushed towards developed areas by extreme weather events, urbanization, and rising temperatures.
• In the Mid-South, snake calls surged 50% as reptiles slipped indoors through tiny openings.
• In California, residents were urged to stay alert as snake behavior is changing with rising temperatures.
• In Dhaka, Bangladesh, rescuers said snakes frequently sneak into human settlements as urbanization reshapes habitat.
• In Singapore, a black spitting cobra appeared beside a playground, prompting warnings to nearby families.
• In India, snakebite incidents are rising as hotter weather pushes deadly encounters toward a public health crisis.
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