It took two doses of antivenom and a vet bill of almost $2500 to save her life but for Gracie's owner Sue Hester it's not about the money, it's the fact her "fur baby" is still here that matters.

And she wants all lake users to know that dangerous snakes are about in public areas.

"I just want to make people aware if they've got children, children can run ahead ... and while it was my dog this time, it could be your child next time."

Ms Hester had taken Gracie for a walk at the lake on Friday afternoon and let her get close to the water's edge in Fairyland so she could have a drink.

But that quick sip of the lake almost turned to tragedy.

Unknown to Ms Hester and her husband, a tiger snake was lurking behind a milk thistle and it bit Gracie and slithered away before they even realised what had happened.

"She was on lead, and she would not have been more than a foot or two ahead of us when she stopped and stared at a milk thistle there," Ms Hester said.

"I wondered what she was staring at, then she had a quick sip of water out of a tiny little pond, and within seconds she started yelping."

The couple thought Gracie had stood on something or hurt her foot and picked her up to inspect her paw.

They could see no evidence of injury, but while Ms Hester was holding her Gracie began vomiting. They rushed back to the car and Gracie continued to deteriorate in Ms Hester's arms.

"I could honestly feel her body going limp and I could feel her heart going 100 miles an hour."

They raced to Ballarat Farm and Pet Vet in Delacombe who confirmed Gracie had suffered a tiger snake bite and administered antivenom.

Ms Hester said she had had a previous much-loved dog die in her arms and she feared she was about to lose Gracie as well.

"It was horrible. It was horrific and I spent most of Friday night crying," Ms Hester said.

IN OTHER NEWS

Gracie spent almost 24 hours at the vet before being released but still needs pain medication every eight hours and is only up to a short walk around the block compared to the two daily 1km walks she was enjoying before her brush with death.

"I'd pay the cost over and over again to save her, but I just want people to be aware that the snakes are out there and could be a danger for other dogs, and children especially," Ms Hester said.

Tiger snakes, one of the most venomous in the world, are often found in and around bodies of water and swamps as a large part of their diet consists of frogs, other reptiles, birds, small mammals and fish.