Warning, graphic images are included.

WILF, a five year old miniature schnauzer dog, is recovering at his Dursley home from a suspected adder bite that a vet describes as ‘the biggest wound I’ve ever seen.’

The plucky little dog was detained in Vale Vets in Dursley for 12 days before it was thought safe for him to go home to continue his recovery.

Wilf is thought to have been bitten by an adder when he was being looked after by relatives in Hampshire while his owners were on holiday in France.

Vale Vets say the suspected bite led to Wilf developing major skin damage that affected his chin, neck and chest.

Two months on from the bite he still needs three to four visits a week to the vets for ongoing treatment and is steadily recovering.

Wilf’s owners returned from their summer trip to Brittany on July 25 and planned to head straight to North Hants to collect him.

"We were due to pick him up when my in-laws phoned," said Wilf’s owner, mum of two Helen Lewis, a 50-year-old teacher from Dursley.

"They told us something was up – we drove over there to collect him and we could tell right away that he wasn’t himself.

"Although Wilf loves his visits to Hampshire, he’s usually ecstatic when he reunites with us. This time, he barely moved – he didn’t even respond to food or biscuits."

Helen immediately took him to Vale Vets.

“What made Wilf’s case unusual was that he wasn’t brought into the practice with severe skin damage – it developed a few days after he’d got there,” said a spokesperson for the surgery.

“After several tests and treatments, during which an array of illnesses – including meningitis – were ruled out, Wilf’s condition appeared to be the result of a nasty adder bite.”

Ella Fielding, an advanced practitioner in small animal medicine at the surgery, described Wilf’s injury as one of the biggest she’d ever seen.

But Wilf has not let it dampen his spirits - apart from his ‘expert sulking’ when he had to wear a ‘buster collar’ at home.

"He’s amazing,” said Helen. “After all he’s been through, he manages to remain his sociable, gentle self."