Snakebite!

[bjorn2bwild]

Sorry to hear that the dog died, glad the young lady is OK, a terrible accident.
It is good to remember that the snake is only interested in little furry rodents and other snakes of the opposite sex. My policy is live and let live with all kinds of snakes including rattlers.
P.S. To add - that was a striking photo.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 (Also, is the venom of larger snakes more potent or roughly the same as smaller ones of the same species?)

My understanding is that the bites from the young rattlesnakes are often much worse than the adults, they have a higher concentration of the toxin that affects the nervous system. Also, adult rattlesnakes will often give a dry (no venom) bite, young rattlesnakes rarely do.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Here is a photo of a friend of a friend showing a rattlesnake bite in progress (zoom in on the hand of the young lady on the left). They had set the timer on the camera to take a family photo in the flowers outside their home near Victoria, TX. The snake bit both the young mom and the dog, sending her to the hospital for several days. The dog did not survive. Springtime in Texas...

Snake gona be OK?

[eytonxav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 I'm unfamiliar with the size of rattlesnakes, but don't they get considerably larger than this one appears to be? (Also, is the venom of larger snakes more potent or roughly the same as smaller ones of the same species?)

Yes, but even a pigmy rattler can do significant damage if bitten by one.

[MRG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 I'm unfamiliar with the size of rattlesnakes, but don't they get considerably larger than this one appears to be? (Also, is the venom of larger snakes more potent or roughly the same as smaller ones of the same species?)

Great photo.

This is truly a time where size does not matter.

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[imoldernu]

Lots of snake stories over the years... Most fun is the periodic (once a year) appearance of a snake on the deck of the swimming pool in our Florida community. Strikes terror into the hearts of the citizens... Usually a black racer. One exception many years ago... A good friend snowbird, arriving back in FL, found a coral snake on the bed in her home. Wouldn't have believed it, but they took a picture before relocating the unwelcome visitor.

My own most memorable event was a non-starter... Taking an hour off a business trip to St. Paul MN, it was a two mile mile scenic walking trail. Kind of rough in places. Walking through a path of stones, I felt what I thought was a tumbling pebble, hit my (dress) shoe. Thought nothing of it, 'til that night when I found two fang cuts in my Florsheims.

An interesting read on fatal snakebites, here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._United_States

Five fatalities in 2015.

[Walt34]

Another reason for me not to move to Texas. Good to hear the young lady is okay. Sad the dog didn't make it.

The snake is a bit hard to see in the photo so I cut out that part, overexposed it in Photoshop with levels, then resized the resulting image. That makes the snake easier to see:

[weshallseeII]

Our Boston Terrier was bitten by a rattlesnake a few weeks ago when we were on a trip to Oklahoma. We were walking around cedar lake and she came upon one at the side of the trail. Had to carry her and jog back to the car and drive to Heavener were we found a vet. Three injections and lots of pills. Her face and throat swelled a lot, but she is now back to normal thank goodness.

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[Elbata]

In most eastern part of Orange Cty, CA and we have lots of rattlers. From my understanding, the rattle snakes aren't as poisonous as the the diamond back rattlers from Arizona. Unfortunately, the diamond backs have found their way out here and are producing.

One of my dogs got bit and survived. I want to take them hiking with me, but there's just too many snakes and my dogs' curiousity gets the best of them.

[eytonxav]

Here is a pic of a big Texas rattler:

[frayne]

Never minded snakes and use to catch them when I was a kid. Most snakes will not attack unless cornered or threatened. I'd be will to bet the young lady was pretty close to the snake's domain. Glad she is Ok and sorry to hear about the dog.

[Car-Guy]

My favorite snake eliminator. Apply at ~1200fps from a safe but effective distance. (I like 8 to 10 yards) A second application is rarely needed, if applied accurately, but can be repeated if necessary with a new dose.

[harley]

The girl I went to the prom with, lo these many years ago, was from the desert part of CA. Her summer job before she moved out east was catching rattlers to be milked for their venom to make anti-toxin. Coolest prom date ever. Like going with BtVS. Wonder what she's up to these days.

[Accidental Retiree]

Along with CA bashing, 'this the season for RE Wahoo to post a truncated, very vivid form of his Californian repellent. 😁

10-4, Wahoo.

(Although I might take my life into my hands and venture back across the TX border, to my native state, to Luling and Lockhart a few more times for a sausage run.)


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[antmary]

Wow! How scary! We are on 10 acres in NoCal, and have not seen one rattlesnake...knock on wood....We have two inside/outside cats, and one feral. I heard that cats will hunt the baby rattlesnakes.

[Senator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tailgate Newspaper reported a golf tournament recently that suspended play until a rattlesnake could be removed safely from his sunny spot on the green.

A bunch of men, with golf clubs, couldn't figure it out? That's a mystery in and of itself...

[Marita40]

Yet another reason to live in MN.

[explanade]

I recall reading about how you have to suck the venom out to help the victim.

What is the anti venom availability and cost?

Presumably pretty common in the West?

Some other types of snake anti-venoms are suppose to be really expensive because it's difficult to produce.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade I recall reading about how you have to suck the venom out to help the victim.

Perhaps not:
The Truth About Snakebites and Sucking Out the Venom

Quote:

There are a number of productive things you can do to help a snakebite victim; trying to suck out the venom isn’t one of them. Actually having a negative effect, potentially further damaging the tissue around the bite and thus helping to spread the venom, trying to suck the venom out of a snakebite victim is an act in futility that simply delays proper treatment.

[Senator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade I recall reading about how you have to suck the venom out to help the victim.

The best thing you can do is kill the snake. It will make the victim feel better as you drive them to the hospital. And it will prevent that snake from biting anyone else.

As a secondary help, if they need anti-venom, they know the type of snake.