A PET dog has died after being attacked by a snake while out on a walk at a Scottish beauty spot.
Three-year-old cocker spaniel Molly died after being bitten by an adder near Fairlie Castle in North Ayrshire.
The attack happened on September 22 while out with owner Suzanne Naylor-Johnston.
After a week-long fight, the working dog died in Glasgow Vet School's intensive care unit.
Now the 43-year-old owner has warned others about the dangers on the Ayrshire coast.
The only venomous snake native to the UK is the European adder which is roughly 50-60cm long when an adult and has a black/brown zigzag pattern along their back and V or X shaped marking on the back of the head.
Ms Naylor-Johnston from Saltcoats warned on social media:"I do not usually put things on line, but this I thought everyone should see. My Cocker Spaniel was bitten by a snake while out for a walk."
She said that no-anti venom was able to be administered in time and that left her dog fighting for her life.
The owner warned that the killer snake was still out there.
"PLEASE PLEASE be very careful while out walking your fur babies as just because you dont see a SNAKE daily doesnt mean its not there to the side of you in the under growth....if you suspect a snake bite...tell your vet asap," she said.
She said the dog developed a tennis-ball size swelling on her chest before developing liver problem as a result of the venom in her system.
She later thanked friends for their support as she announced the sad news.
"I am overwhelmed by the prayers and love sent towards Molly and her recovery, but it is with heartbreaking waterfilled eyes I must let people know she was unable to fight any longer," she said. "Devasted, empty and life shattering is an understatement on how I am feeling."
The adder is most commonly found in the south and south west of England, western Wales and Scotland where their preferred habitats are sand dunes, rocky hillsides, moorland and woodland edges.
Adders are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which means that it is an offence to kill, harm, injure, sell or trade them.
According to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service in 2015 there were 101 reported cases of adder bites to dog, with just five dying.
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