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(Image: IMGUR/GWTRULL)

In the image, two parents pose with their daughter and a family pet, yet dad seems distracted by something at his feet.

Look at mum’s hand and you might see the reason why, because a snake is about to strike at that very moment.

The photo, which is of uncertain origin, was posted on Reddit by a site user claiming to be a friend of the family.

(Image: IMGUR/GWRTRULL)

And they said that the dog also sustained a bite from the rattlesnake – a fatal one – though the mum would make a full recovery.

"The dog actually was bit and didn't make it," wrote gwtrull. "The woman was bit as well but made a full recovery. Thankful it wasn't the child."

It comes after footage emerged showing the power of a deadly viper attack in slow motion created by tricking the serpent with a water balloon.

While a snake was viciously beaten to death by one dad in a video reportedly taken after his son was fatally attacked by the creature.

One Reddit visitor, who said they worked as a vet, claimed dogs can often snake bites, but not from rattlesnakes.

They wrote: "Usually bitten pets don't survive long enough to get to the hospital.

"If they survive long enough to get antivenin they often need skin grafts because massive chunks of tissue die around the bite.

"Last one I saw spent weeks in the hospital fighting against graft failures."