Golden retriever defies vets to survive FIVE surgeries after he's bitten by a snake

Golden retriever defies vets to survive FIVE surgeries after he's bitten by a snake Beloved puppy Kobi suddenly fell ill after going out for walk with his owner Roma Morgan, who had no idea her pet had been bitten by an adder in Aberystwyth, west Wales A fearless Golden retriever shook off five surgeries to defy vets after being bitten by an adder. Kobi had been walking through long grass when he suddenly became "very lethargic". His owner Roma Morgan rushed the seven-month-old pup to her local vets, where he had blood tests and painkillers but continued to fall ill and and cried when touched. It was only when they shaved Kobi's swollen neck that a traumatic puncture wound was discovered - and her pet was then taken to another vet for a second opinion and given anti-venom. But over the next 10 months, he underwent five separate operations and 90 wound dressing changes with treatment costing more than £8,000. Roma, of Penparcau, near Aberystwth, west Wales, says she and husband Steve are "forever grateful" to the vets who "gave him the care he needed" She is now warning others of the risks of adder bites to their dogs but says seeing Kobi finally recovered brought her so much joy. She said: "It was best feeling. Seeing him running and swimming makes it all worthwhile. He's our little hero." Friends began a fundraising page to help Roma and Steve pay for Kobi's treatement in June last year. The page read: "Kobi, just a curious baby golden retriever, whilst playing in the river was bitten by an adder. He didn't make a fuss, and nobody witnessed it. "He became very poorly, very quickly, and eventually it was realised that he'd been bitten by a venomous snake. It was already at advanced stages in his system by this time. "A long, heartbreaking fight to save Kobi began from that moment. Roma and her husband Steve sourced anti venom and drove away to collect it. "The veterinarians began the slow process of fixing their boy, bearing in mind that he would not suffer more than he needed to. It was feared that his organs would fail, but he pulled through with intensive care. "His skin perished and he has bravely endured multiple surgeries which will continue until all the fluid build ups are cleared and his skin is healed. He is a champion, he survived on love." Adders are the only venomous snake native to the UK and are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Warning about stomach complaint that can be fatal Last month, a vet warned dog owners to bring their pets into their local practice immediately if they notice one change in their body - as it could be fatal. It can sometimes be difficult to know if and when you should take your pet to the vets, and if an issue is a genuine emergency. In a TikTok video, vets at Green Pastures Vets in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, ran through two scenarios that commonly arise in dogs, weighing in on whether each one constitutes an emergency. One of the vets asked: "Kathleen, emergency or not, a dog shaking for no obvious reason?" Kathleen replied: "Yes, they could be fitting, always better to just be sure." According to the PDSA, if a dog suffers a GDV (Gastric dilatation-volvulus), they will likely require surgery to untwist their stomach. However, tragically, even with intervention, some GDVs prove fatal. The PDSA said: "Any dog can develop a GDV but it's most common in giant and deep chested breeds such as as German Shepherds, Great Danes, Saint Bernards and Dobermanns. "It's more common in dogs that have a parent or full sibling (brother/sister) that have had a GDV, and tends to mostly affect middle-aged to older dogs."