Rattlesnake antivenom critical shortage

[lone wolf]

If you go out in the woods in rattler territory around Georgian Bay, be especially on the lookout. Mating season - late July and early August - is when the most bites occur. Due to some incredibly short-sighted planning, there is vaccine enough for one and a half bites.

Ontario's levels of snake anti-venom 'critically low'

 

[Cliffy]

If you go out in the woods in rattler territory around Georgian Bay, be especially on the lookout. Mating season - late July and early August - is when the most bites occur. Due to some incredibly short-sighted planning, there is vaccine enough for one and a half bites.

Ontario's levels of snake anti-venom 'critically low'

That is OK. They will just hand out Darwin Awards instead.

 

[AnnaG]

Where's Georgian Bay?
I grew up in the Okanagan of BC where there were zillions of the critters. Not so many left there now because human intrusion has squeezed them out of their natural habitat. Get used to the antivenom becoming a rarity. The source for it is dwindling.

 

[lone wolf]

Where's Georgian Bay?
I grew up in the Okanagan of BC where there were zillions of the critters. Not so many left there now because human intrusion has squeezed them out of their natural habitat. Get used to the antivenom becoming a rarity. The source for it is dwindling.

 

[AnnaG]

Holy! Way over there. I think there's one on the west coast, too.

 

[Nuggler]

If you go out in the woods in rattler territory around Georgian Bay, be especially on the lookout. Mating season - late July and early August - is when the most bites occur. Due to some incredibly short-sighted planning, there is vaccine enough for one and a half bites.

Ontario's levels of snake anti-venom 'critically low'

The good news is that there's lots of snakes. Mating. Biting. Just hangin and beein snakes.
Parliament hill is full of them. Mostly at home now, for the summer. Breeding season don't ya know.
Means they're spread out now, so be careful.
You get bit by the "Hill Viper", they're ain't no cure.

"Lesser Hill Vipers" have been seen at Queen's Park in Toronto.
Those little bastards will really do ya.
No anti-venom either.
...............sucks !!:-(........(just don't swallow)

 

[lone wolf]

The good news is: only the massasauga rattlesnake is a protected species! The rest? we need at least six - for palbearers....

 

[Cliffy]

The good news is that there's lots of snakes. Mating. Biting. Just hangin and beein snakes.
Parliament hill is full of them. Mostly at home now, for the summer. Breeding season don't ya know.
Means they're spread out now, so be careful.
You get bit by the "Hill Viper", they're ain't no cure.

"Lesser Hill Vipers" have been seen at Queen's Park in Toronto.
Those little bastards will really do ya.
No anti-venom either.
...............sucks !!:-(........(just don't swallow)

Nugs,

I've heard that garlic and a cross that converts to a shot gun are effective at close range. 200 year old Scotch is supposed to be a fairly good anti-venom.

 

[lone wolf]

Cut and suck? That's unhealthy drama....

 

[VanIsle]

Holy! Way over there. I think there's one on the west coast, too.

You are right - there is a Georgian Bay here on the Island. I think there are still lots of Rattlers around Vernon. The babies used to crawl down our neighbours driveway. Vernon has lots of dry rocky hills around - just what the snakes like. This heat should make them glorious. Maybe they'll reproduce like crazy! :lol:;-)

 

[AnnaG]

There used to be tons of them in the Okanagan. Now it's grown in population and the wildlife continues to be pushed farther and farther back into the bush.

Les and a friend used to catch rattlers for the Okanagan Game Farm just south of Penticton before the natives made it close down.

I had the kids there one time and we were by the tiger paddock when a male came close to the inner fence, looked at the people a bit, then he turned around and squirted. A lady and a man got the most of it and a couple others got some. Tiger pee smells pretty strong. Good thing it washes off easily enough. lol

 

[VanIsle]

We lived there when the Game Farm opened. I actually have newspaper clippings around here somewhere. My husband is in the pics. but it's been so long now I'm not sure why. I think he was there with a group of grade one kids or something. I can't remember if we were still there when it closed. I think we left about 1973. I'll have to ask some of my Vernon friends if the rattlesnakes are still around. I wonder if all the forrest fires over the years have had an effect on the numbers. You would think it would have to have.

 

[AnnaG]

I would think it would have an effect on them, although I can see them heading for their nests underground during fires like they do to avoid winters.
I like them. Poor things have had a bad rap and their threat has been way overblown in the movies. Healthy people just don't die from their bites. And given the chance, they'd much rather scoot than stick around and fight.

 

[Nuggler]

There used to be tons of them in the Okanagan. Now it's grown in population and the wildlife continues to be pushed farther and farther back into the bush.

Les and a friend used to catch rattlers for the Okanagan Game Farm just south of Penticton before the natives made it close down.

I had the kids there one time and we were by the tiger paddock when a male came close to the inner fence, looked at the people a bit, then he turned around and squirted. A lady and a man got the most of it and a couple others got some. Tiger pee smells pretty strong. Good thing it washes off easily enough. lol

Good job, tigers!!!

I guess if the natives can close an international bridge (Cornwall, Ont), a game farm should be easy meat........no pun intended.

They just let all the animules go?

Off they go, into the bush, :lol::lol:

8O

 

[SirJosephPorter]

[FONT=&quot]My son just finished a four week rotation in Tobermory (he is in his third year of medical school). He was telling me that the rattlesnake anti-venom costs 14,000 dollars per dose, and they don’t keep any in Tobermory health centre. The cost is probably a consideration[/FONT]

 

[lone wolf]

The stuff's not cheap. The snake from which venom is extracted is an endangered species. So far, as far as I know, it hasn't been synthesized.

This year, they're short. That was my original bone. Then, someone dropped a steak - the cut and suck thing.

Hmm.... Holiday weekend.... Not-so-brilliant Torontonians at Honey Harbour. The bite just makes you sick and sore. Someone who learned first aid for snakebites from a John Wayne movie is scary stuff!

 

[ShintoMale]

Where's Georgian Bay?
I grew up in the Okanagan of BC where there were zillions of the critters. Not so many left there now because human intrusion has squeezed them out of their natural habitat. Get used to the antivenom becoming a rarity. The source for it is dwindling.

one of the consequences of urban sprawl

 

[taxslave]

Holy! Way over there. I think there's one on the west coast, too.

No Georgian bay on the wet coast that I know of but there is the Georgia straight, both the wet one and the sorta newspaper.
Gotta wonder why anyone would live where there are deadly snakes, bad enough with the ones we have here.

 

[taxslave]

You are right - there is a Georgian Bay here on the Island. I think there are still lots of Rattlers around Vernon. The babies used to crawl down our neighbours driveway. Vernon has lots of dry rocky hills around - just what the snakes like. This heat should make them glorious. Maybe they'll reproduce like crazy! :lol:;-)

I missed your post be for I said there is no Georgian bay on the coast. Doesn't ring any bells and I have done the entire coast by boat and plane many times. Where is it?

 

[AnnaG]

No Georgian bay on the wet coast that I know of but there is the Georgia straight, both the wet one and the sorta newspaper.
Gotta wonder why anyone would live where there are deadly snakes, bad enough with the ones we have here.

Van Isle pointed out that there's a Georgian Bay at Vancouver Island, too.
It used to be nice in the Okanagan. Most that did go hiking and stuff managed to avoid snakes and the snakes avoided them. Used to hear about people watching the odd rattler crossing their lawn, too. People rarely got bit. On the same sort of thought, it kind of impresses me that people like to live in Tornado Alley, or in flood plains or beside volcanoes.