Inspirational Labrador recovers after snake bite
A Labrador from Cardiff has shown incredible strength to recover after being bitten by a snake.
Missy bumped into the reptile while out walking with her owner, John Staniforth, in the St. Mellons area of the city. While John didn’t see the perpetrator at the time, he and wife Alison were alarmed to see that Missy’s leg had swollen to around three times its normal size by the next morning.
Upon visually examining the leg, a call was made to the local vet and shortly afterwards, they made the trip to the PDSA PetAid hospital. Vets at the surgery were shocked to discover a bite on Missy’s leg which could have been very serious if it had been ignored. Poisoning and renal failure were two major risks associated with the injury and despite receiving 24-hour care for two weeks, Missy’s condition continued to worsen. Karen Jones, a vet nurse, said:
“A dog can die within a week if they don’t get any veterinary care as the liver and kidneys just shut down.”
Missy’s mood began to depress as a result of the problem spreading to her underarm area and elbow. On advice from the vets, John and Alison made the difficult decision to give the go-ahead for amputation. Although the treatment was extreme, Missy was running around just days after the operation. Alison expressed her amazement by saying:
“She was walking and running on three legs as if nothing had happened.”
The experience was inspirational for Alison, who hopes to repay the vets for their hard work by participating in the Cardiff half marathon in October.
