A safety reminder going into spring time

[MDT]

so...we've had several threads on venomous bites. I ran across this on Herp Nation, it's an interesting read. It should be called basically "How To Mismanage a Snake Bite"....I have treated and reviewed many snake bites over my career, and I am really dumbfounded after reading this...the description of how this case went down is frightening.

» Bite Account: Timber Rattlesnake - Herp Nation Media (http://www.herpnation.com/hn-blog/daniel-duff/bite-account-timber-rattlesnake/?simple_nav_category=hn-blog%2Fdaniel-duff)

This poor guy ended up with a fasciotomy because the ED physician wouldn't recognize the signs of envenomation.

It's spring time in North America, snakes will soon be on the move. If you get bitten, make sure the ED doc is aggressive with anti venom if your bite meets criteria for treatment. No one should be getting fasciotomies for snake bite in this day and age.

[Chu'Wuti]

Crazy!

I notice you're in Oklahoma--I'm in Norman, myself.

I love field herping here, but being reminded of important things like preventing and managing snake bite is definitely good!

Thanks!

[MDT]

Chu'Wuti....NE Okla (Claremore) for me. You shouldn't have any probs in Norman or OKC...the ED docs around there will def know how to treat bites. However, why test it :)
Just don't get bit :)

[LadyWraith]

^^ Fellow Oklahomans. Yay! I haven't met a lot of reptile fans around here. MDT, I have a bunch of family in Claremore. :) I'm getting to go on a trip to the Keystone Ancient Forest this Friday with my Bio for Majors class. Apparently the oldest crosstimber forest in the world according to my instructor. Definitely plan on doing some field herping. I'll be mindful of the envenomation info. Thanks!

[Rogue628]

<~~~~~ Oklahoma too! I moved to Lawton last year from Louisiana.

MDT, thanks for that article. What most people don't realize about ER docs is they generally have a broad spectrum of general stuff they know, most seemed to be based on experience and not text book or clinicals. Mayhap if there was some way we could get ER staff more experienced with snakes and the different vemons, etc things would go much differently.

Not meaning to thread jack, but what's this I keep seeing on facebook about the governor of OK and sewing snake mouths shut? :shocked: Anyone know?

[LadyWraith]

There is a petition to the governor going around to make it illegal. OK participates in those awful rattlesnake roundups and the mouths are sewn shut so everyone and their grandma at these "exhibitions" can handle them "safely". The fangs are also ripped out in some cases.

[MDT]

@Rogue....I'm trying, believe me. I give snake bite lectures fairly often. And the thing is, all it takes is a call to Poison Control and they'll put the doc in touch w a toxicologist to help them....it's frustrating.

@LadyWraith...where are you going to school? I had a herpetology class when I was at Ok State. Several over night field trips. Taking a class and getting credit hours while camping out and catching herps was awesome :)

As far as the gov signing law, I really hope she does. The round ups are disturbing, to be delicate about it. I'd like to sew up some of the promoters lips.

[LadyWraith]

I didn't even know they had these roundups here (thought it was a TX thing) until I saw an ad one year... I guess one of the rinky-dink towns around here hosts a HUGE festival for it. Lame.
@MDT- Just TCC. Working on my Associates then move on to a Bachelor's eventually. Oh man. I would LOVE to take that herpetology class. That sounds like a blast! I bet it was the coolest class you took.

[MDT]

It was very cool. And a long time ago :)
Hope this semester goes well for you!

[bcr226]

@Rogue....I'm trying, believe me. I give snake bite lectures fairly often. And the thing is, all it takes is a call to Poison Control and they'll put the doc in touch w a toxicologist to help them....it's frustrating.

@LadyWraith...where are you going to school? I had a herpetology class when I was at Ok State. Several over night field trips. Taking a class and getting credit hours while camping out and catching herps was awesome :)

As far as the gov signing law, I really hope she does. The round ups are disturbing, to be delicate about it. I'd like to sew up some of the promoters lips.

You're too kind to them. I won't say what I'd like to do to them so I'll just say that harming snakes like that does not sit well with me.

[Rogue628]

I didn't realize OK participated in those, although I've heard a few people talk about it....I just brushed it off as non reptile people talking about something they knew nothing about.

Do you guys know how I can get involved in the petition? Also, does anyone know of a herp society that is close to me? I want to be more involved here than what I was able to be back home....