A DOG owner has told of her fears for her beloved pet after he was bitten by an adder.

Lisa Lloyd-Evans, 41, was walking her four-year-old Weimaraner, Maverick, and his “best buddy” Scooby, a five-year-old Jack Russell, on a bridle path near Lytchett Matravers recently, when Maverick was bitten.

“Maverick shot away from the grass as if he had caught his nose. As he turned to face me, I could see blood coming from his nose,” she said.

“The snake was quite big. I could hear it hissing. I grabbed Scooby very quickly. I didn’t want him going anywhere near it.

“Within minutes, Maverick was walking strangely, and I got him to the vet as quickly as I could.”

Maverick’s face began to swell alarmingly. Vets at Poole’s Companion Care administered an anti-venom treatment and anti-inflammatory drugs, and kept him under close observation while Lisa and Scooby spent an anxious couple of hours at home.

“Scooby kept following me around all day wondering where Maverick was. They have grown up together and do everything together,” said Lisa.

Vet Caty Swain said dogs often died from adder bites and urged owners whose pets are bitten to rush them to the vet as soon as possible after the bite.

“Maverick was with us within 30 minutes of being bitten and quick treatment meant that his prognosis was good,” she said.

“His face dramatically reduced in size following re-examination the next day and Maverick was almost back to normal.

“He is doing really well following his ordeal.”

At about 6.30pm, nearly six hours after he was bitten, the vets released Maverick.

“I slept on the settee and kept resetting the alarm every couple of hours to check he was alright. It was frightening.

“You get so attached, you don’t want anything to happen to them,” said Lisa.