A Manchester dog owner fears an 'exotic snake' may be on the loose in Boggart Hole Clough after her one-year-old Labradoodle suffered a suspected snake bite while walking in the park.
Freddy's condition deteriorated rapidly after what initially appeared to be a graze on his front leg. His owner, Rebecca Webster, was later told by her vet that two puncture marks were consistent with a snake bite. The injury could require specialist surgery costing between £4,000 and £8,000, with vets warning that dead tissue may need to be removed from his leg.
Incident at Boggart Hole Clough
The incident happened on Sunday (October 11) when Webster took Freddy and her 11-year-old Cockapoo, Phoebe, for a long walk. Freddy, who was off his lead, was running through an area of woodland and long grass when he suddenly stopped for a second or two before carrying on as normal.
At the time, his owner did not suspect anything was wrong. However, that evening he became more cuddly than usual, and by the following morning his front leg had swollen and he was limping. Initially believing he had suffered a graze, she took him to the vet, where he was prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication. But his condition quickly worsened.
Vet finds puncture wounds
That night, his entire leg swelled up and he stopped eating. By the following morning, the wound was oozing what his owner described as bloody pus, prompting her to rush him back to the vet. Freddy was admitted and sedated so the wound could be cleaned and examined more closely.
Later that afternoon, his owner received a phone call that left her stunned. She 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."
The wound was particularly concerning because the skin surrounding it had become very dark, raising fears that the tissue was dying. She was told that if the affected skin turned black, it could need to be removed, leaving a significant wound to heal.
Questions over cause
Her vet reportedly considered an adder bite unlikely because Freddy's blood clotting appeared unaffected. Adders are Britain's only native venomous snake, leaving his owner questioning what might have caused the injury. 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?"
There is currently no confirmation of what caused Freddy's injury, and his owner has not claimed to have seen a snake in the park. She is now calling for further investigation into the circumstances, including whether any other snake sightings or similar incidents have been reported at Boggart Hole Clough.
Potential surgery and recovery
Freddy may need specialist surgery to remove the damaged tissue, with an initial estimate of between £4,000 and £8,000 because multiple procedures could be required. His usual vet does not have a specialist team for this type of surgery and contacted another provider about a possible referral.
She said: "They gave a ballpark figure of £4,000 to £8,000 because it could mean multiple surgeries. I was like, 'Oh my God, how am I going to afford this?' How can you justify £4,000 to £8,000? You can't. A lot of people don't have that sort of money."
There has, however, been some encouraging news. Freddy's wound is reportedly healing better than expected, although his owner remains concerned about how much of the surrounding skin could ultimately be affected. She said: "They're assessing the wound at the moment and it's healing really, really well, better than they expected. But it's still a waiting game, really, to see how far the poison affects the skin."
Family ordeal
The ordeal has been made even more difficult by the devastating news that Phoebe was diagnosed with terminal lymphoma just days before Freddy's suspected bite. Her owner had been coming to terms with the diagnosis and considering whether chemotherapy would be the right option for her much-loved older dog when Freddy's condition suddenly worsened.
She is now facing two frightening situations at once, with the emotional strain compounded by the potential cost of Freddy's treatment. Rebecca said: "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'. It was heart-wrenching. It was just so surreal. It was like I was living in a nightmare, to be honest."
The incident has also left her worried about other people using the park, particularly children who might run through the long grass. She said she was relieved her grandson had not been with them that day, as he often runs around with the dogs. "He could have been bitten as well," she said. "I'm glad my grandson wasn't there."
Boggart Hole Clough is a popular green space where families walk their dogs and visitors enjoy its woodland, paths and open areas. Freddy's owner said she had never imagined something like this could happen during an ordinary walk in Manchester. She added: "I'm scared to take them out now. I'm scared to take them out into parks and stuff. You would never imagine that would happen in the middle of Manchester."
