THE fifth generation and the last in the line of much-loved family of lurcher dogs, Zonda, is bouncing back to health this week after almost dying from a snake bite.

The drama began after it was discovered that the local vet had no antidote. A call was made to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton - but it had none, either.

The animal was given steroids to ease the swelling while the vet rang round and located an antidote at a hospital in Leeds.

From there, a taxi was despatched to carry the serum to Thirsk - four hours after the snake had bitten the dog in the neck.

Sue Harden, of Hunters Hill Farm, Nether Stilton, was out walking her dogs on the border of the farm when Zonda, a Blue Merle lurcher, disturbed two adders.

"She let out an terrific howl and jumped high in to the air. I saw the two snakes, and realised Zonda had been bitten," said Mrs Harden. "She was hysterical, and her neck started swelling and her lip, too. I was afraid she would choke before I could get her to a vet.

"It took me 40 minutes to get to the vet's in Thirsk and I knew that time was crucial. Then, it was discovered that neither he nor the hospital had a serum supply. Thankfully, the vet managed to find some and it arrived here at about 9.30.

"I consider Zonda to be a very lucky as she is 12 years old and to recover as she has is nothing short of a miracle. My husband, Dick, who is recovering from a stroke, would have been heartbroken had Zonda died."

Mrs Harden said that, considering there had been several warnings about adders and dogs being bitten over recent weeks, it seemed strange the Friarage had no serum.

A South Tees Health Trust spokesman at Middlesborough said: "We do not stock the serum because, in the case of a human, doctors in A&E nould try other treatments first. It is not a first-line treatment.

"Should it become necessary to try the serum, local hospitals would get a supply from Leeds."