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‘Which foot?’

‘Her left front.’

‘All right Miss Tilly, let’s have a look at you.’ Even though she wasn’t responding, Jake knew it was important to keep her calm. She whimpered slightly as he untucked her paw from the blanket. ‘There’s a good girl, you’re being so brave. Don’t worry, we’ll have you all fixed up soon.’

He hissed in sympathy as he examined the paw, which had swollen to more than twice its usual size, tugging the skin tight, which was hot to touch. He parted the fur, hoping he wasn’t going to see what he was already expecting – and dreading. Though he could feel the adrenaline start to race through his veins, he forced himself to stay calm. ‘Where were you when this happened?’

‘The woods around the back of the church. What’s wrong with her?’

‘And she was digging around? Exploring off the leash?’ He grabbed the razor from its place on the shelf and buzzed it to check it had power.

‘Yes.’

‘Sorry about this, Tilly.’ He shaved a patch on her other leg. ‘I think she’s been bitten by an adder.’

‘Oh my God.’ Evelyn’s hands covered her face in horror. ‘I thought she was just being a bit of a wimp. If I’d have had any idea I would have brought her straight here instead of going home …’

‘She’s here now. That’s what matters.’ He finished inserting an IV catheter into the cephalic vein on Tilly’s foreleg. ‘I need to get her hydrated.’ He connected a hydration pack to the catheter and handed it to Evelyn. ‘Hold this please. Keep it elevated like this.’ He positioned her hand and arm appropriately. ‘Don’t squeeze it.’

Evelyn nodded in understanding as Jake slipped his stethoscope into his ears and held the diaphragm against Tilly’s chest. He couldn’t hold back the frown at what he was hearing. Tilly’s heart rate must have been close to one hundred and fifty beats a minute.

‘She’s what, ten years old?’ He grabbed the blood pressure monitor out of the drawer and wrapped it around one of Tilly’s back legs.

‘Maybe closer to eleven. We were told she was five or six when we rescued her.’ She cast a worried eye over the little dog. ‘She’s bad, isn’t she?’

Jake scribbled down Tilly’s blood pressure, which was far from the figures he’d hoped for. He forced himself to meet Evelyn’s eyes. ‘I won’t lie to you. Her condition is critical. She’s not a very big dog, and she’s going into shock.’

‘She can’t die, Jake. Summer can’t lose her best friend. Not now, it’s too unfair.’ Evelyn was fighting back the tears, and if he’d had time to think about it, Jake might have wondered what she’d meant by “not now”, but his entire focus was on Tilly.

‘I’m going to give her painkillers and a mild, short-acting sedative to help keep her calm and try to stop the venom spreading any further or faster. And antihistamines to try and bring down the swelling. The fluids you’re holding will help with the shock, and we’ll get her onto a heating pad too.’ He went to pick up his little patient. ‘I just need to check her weight for dosage.’

‘18.1 pounds. She gets weighed every month with Summer.’

Jake nodded brusquely and drew out the medications, injecting them directly into the line leading into Tilly’s leg.

Evelyn switched the bag into her other hand, and rubbed Tilly’s ears and nose.

‘I need to get her into a cage with a heating pad.’

‘Is there an alternative?’ Evelyn begged. ‘She needs to be kept calm, doesn’t she?’ She waited for Jake’s nod. ‘She hasn’t been caged since we brought her home. She … she was locked in a crate before she was rescued. It’s not fair to her. Even in the car she travels just with a seat belt. Never a crate. If she wakes up in a cage, I’m worried she’ll panic. Which will just spike her blood pressure again.’

‘OK. I’ll get a heating pad, and we’ll sit with her on the couch in the waiting room.’

‘Thank you.’ Evelyn caught his hand in hers. ‘Jake, be honest – is this going to be enough?’

‘I hope so.’

‘But you don’t know.’ Evelyn sighed. ‘I’m guessing there isn’t an antivenom for dogs.’

‘Not officially licensed, no. But there is one we use off-label. I’m going to make a call. I’m hoping the bigger surgery in town might have some in already, but it’s early in the year. Give me a min, and I’ll grab the pad and we’ll move her together.’

He dialled the number and listened to the phone ring as he grabbed the heating pad and an extension cord, and hoped that his neighbouring colleague would still be there, and have the drugs he needed. He breathed a sigh of relief as the line clicked open to a real-life person instead of the answerphone. ‘Hugh, it’s Jake Macpearson. I’ve got a small bitch with an adder bite. Please tell me you’ve got antivenom in.’

‘I think so. Let me check.’ Jake heard the fridge open and glass bottles clink as Hugh looked for the drug that might save Tilly’s life. ‘How small is small?’

‘Eighteen odd pounds. Eleven year old Shibu Inu. Nasty bite, got her with both fangs.’

‘Nasty.’ Hugh clinked some more. ‘Vitals?’