Fishing writer survives bite from deadly snake

LAKE HAVASU NEWS-HERALD ^ | 9/22/07 | JOHN RUDOLF

[girlangler]

Maybe we ought to rethink that upcoming fishing trip. Just kidding, hopefully the snakes will be underground by then.

BTW, I followed the directions you sent me for debugging my computer, and (crossing fingers) so far it’s faster, and no crashes.

I’ll freepmail you later.

[ARE SOLE]

At least this fisherdude got a bite.

[girlangler]

“At least this fisherdude got a bite.”

LOL. I like catching fish, but, dang, that would be the pits.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Poisonous snakes bite about 8,000 people in the United States each year, and only about 2 percent of those bites are fatal,

Without doing the research, I say this is a BS stat....we don't lose 160 people a year to snakebite in the US....maybe a handful. Southern Asia on the other hand......

[aviator]

This would get me pretty rattled.

[null and void]

You've got to quit pissing off the wildlife

Words to live by...

[narby]

The most toxic rattlesnake in North America is the Mojave rattlesnake, known as the Mojave green for its light green coloration. Its bite is particularly deadly

A guy told me that this snake is a mix of Cobra and Rattlesnake, with the poison of both. Something about a bunch of cobras a guy had some decades back that got lose in the Mojave and interbred with the local rattlers.

[RichInOC]

Well, it could have been worse. Good thing the rattler believed in catch-and-release.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

The writer meant to say .2%

The real answer is that nobody knows for sure. You will hear a lot of statistics quoted, but it is generally accepted that there are roughly 8,000 venomous snakebites in the US annually. Fewer than 15 of those are fatal

[Shimmer128]

Nate said his snake bite just stung (although the one that bit him was just a baby rattler) He got more venom, needing 16 vials of antivenin and he said the venom itself was numbing him all over, maybe that’s why he didn’t get pain med. Or that he just wasn’t in pain. Or the baby was just so small so the fang marks were smaller.
And he was in the hospital 3 days too.
His arm swelled up like a balloon, necessitating them cutting up his brother’s favorite shirt and his favorite wrist bracelet. He was pretty upset over that. Go figure. 14 yo. sheesh.

[girlangler]

That’s probably closer to to the facts. Rarely are poisonous snake bites fatal.

A young (about six or so) girl was camping last summer where I have often camped and was bitten by a copperhead at that campsite. She survived.

[billorites]

"There are several other things to avoid. One is getting excited or panicked, which speeds up the heartbeat..."

I received similar advice on my wedding night.

[brytlea]

Copperheads and water moccs are not as poisonous as rattlesnakes. I have had 3 dogs bitten by copperheads or water moccs and none died. In fact none got very sick. The vet said give them benedryl and bring them in the next day for antibiotics. I had a friend who had a lab bitten by a rattler on the other hand. They nearly lost the dog, even tho he got him to the vet quickly. Ended up losing a chunk of tissue where the bite was.
susie

[VOA]

Only the administration of anti-venom will reliably reverse the
effects of the poison.

There are several other things to avoid. One is getting excited or
panicked, which speeds up the heartbeat and increases the circulation
of venom through the body. Elevating a bitten leg or lying down
is also a big mistake. "Keep the bitten area below the level of
the heart," Burns said.

Now there is "news you can use".

If I ever go deep into the back country where poisonous snakes
are a potential threat...
I think I'll make a few phone calls to locate the closest hospital/clinic
and what their stock of anti-venom looks like.

And if a helicopter can get me there quickly!

[jazusamo]

It sounds like this fellow is lucky it wasn't worse for him, I doubt it was a Mojave Green, they are really bad news.

In my younger days we took many trips to Lake Havasu water skiing and fishing. It's a great boating recreational area and in those days was comparatively uncrowded. Had to always be aware of the surroundings, especially with the kids.

I posted an article of a guy that mixed drinking and a rattlesnake a few days ago, a real dummy. Man who stuck rattler in his mouth and got bit

[SWAMPSNIPER]

A Cottonmouth bite makes a Copperhead bite look like fun.

[capt. norm]

Were it not for 'gators munching on them, we'd be knee-deep in cottonmouths and eastern diamond back rattlesnakes in my neck of the woods.

* Fortunately we're only about ankle-deep in them.

[Slump Tester]

"Probably 50 percent of bites are going to be young to middle-aged white males," he said. "

At least THIS story doesn't say "Women and minorities hardest hit."

[traumer]

“Probably 50 percent of bites are going to be young to middle-aged white males “

HA! Voting Republicans....??