Woman nearly dies after being sent into anaphylactic shock from snake bite

A woman was left in hospital for two days after being bitten by a snake while she walked her dog earlier this week.

Beau Avis, 26, was walking dog Bonnie in sandals along a country lane in Essex on Wednesday. An Adder, Britain’s only venomous snake, sprung up and bit her on the ankle as she walked.

Beau went into anaphylactic shock within minutes. Her dad Kevin had to rush her to hospital in Romford, where luckily doctors had anti-venom on hand, the Mirror reports.

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Beau told the Mirror: “I was put into resus and was drifting in and out of consciousness. I didn’t have any control over any aspect of my body. It was truly terrifying.

“I’m really lucky, because I was told a lot of hospitals don’t tend to hold anti-venom but this one did. The consultant had to ring the Poisons Information Service to find out what dose was needed.”

Beau’s leg began to swell to “double the size” after she was held overnight, so she had to have a second dose of the antidote and stay another day.

Adders are the only poisonous snakes in the UK, but there are only around 50-100 incidents of them biting every year. 70% of these don’t result in serious injury.

They’re mostly only known to bite when threatened, such as if they’re stepped on or approached by a dog. Beau is sharing her story so anyone else it happens to will know what to do.

“There isn’t much in the way of aftercare because it’s so rare in the UK,” she said.

“Apparently you’re more likely to be hit by lightning, the odds are so small.

“I ended up calling the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and London Zoo for advice on what to do now I’m out of hospital.

“My leg has turned yellow and I’m on crutches for now. Even lifting my leg to get into bed at first was just agony.

“I’m still in pain now, six days on. The only way I can describe it is like when you get painful lactic acid build-up when you’re exercising, only all over your body and it being constant.

“I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

Adders are more common in the south of England. Attacks are much more likely to be in rural areas.

NHS advice is to stay calm and seek immediate medical attention if you’re bitten.

“I was lucky we were about 300 yards from the car when it happened,” Beau added.

“If I’d been on my own and in the middle of nowhere I don’t know if I’d have been as fortunate.”

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