[pct-l] Re: rattlesnakes

[matt at mattmaxon.com (Matt Maxon)]

The List
I don't want to under play the serious nature of ACTUALLY getting bit,
but.... I have hiked in Southern California for the last 23 years and have
never been bitten.

Yes it's true you can hike here and NOT get bitten by a rattle snake,
attacked by a mountain lion, or a bear..

Yes you need to be aware and don't do stupid things like put your hand where
you can't see, or worse attempt to scare away a snake by swatting at it with
your hands or feet.

If you do actually see a snake on the trail. Keep cool, toss a rock at it
from a safe distance and it will move off.

You'll be better off if you don't let fear rule you and do stupid things.
Use your fear to keep yourself safe.

Matt Maxon

Oh BTW don't bring your gerbil or hamster

----- Original Message ----- 
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 10:00:26 EST
> From: CharlieJones@aol.com
> Subject: [pct-l] Rattlesnakes
> To: PCT-L@backcountry.net
> Message-ID: <1ea.1ce47227.2d9eda0a@aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Sorry, THEY pulled the link.
>
> Here's the information from it:
> Look out! Rattlesnake
>
> By: ADRIENNE A. AGUIRRE - Staff Writer
> NORTH COUNTY ---- It's rattlesnake season and as the weather gets hotter,
> people and pets will be at more risk of getting bitten.
>
> Rattlesnakes began coming out of hibernation in March and will be active
> until the weather gets cooler in late October or even November, according
to
> officials. Around North County on Wednesday, physicians and veterinarians
said they
> are seeing an increase in animal and human patients coming into their
offices
> with rattlesnake bites.
> "I've had three (patients with) bites in four days," said Dr. Roy Johnson,
a
> family practitioner in Valley Center. "It totally depends on the weather."
>
> The frequency of incidents seems to be the same for pets.
>
> "In the last week, the numbers have increased significantly," said Dr.
> Timothy M. Concannon, veterinarian at California Veterinary Specialists in
San
> Marcos. "It's been a daily occurrence."
>
> Reactions to rattlesnake bites are similar for pets and people. Though the
> bites are rarely fatal, symptoms include extreme pain or numbness, shock,
> blood-clotting problems, abnormal heart rhythms, tissue damage and
swelling. Some
> victims can experience all of those symptoms because the venom has
different
> purposes.
>
> "It's like a package of a lot of different toxins," Concannon said, adding
> that the effects vary from the type of rattlesnake bite, to the snake's
age and
> the time of year. He said it is believed that springtime can be the most
> dangerous period because rattlesnakes just coming out of hibernation have
the most
> concentrated venom and baby rattlesnakes born in spring have poor control
over
> their venom.
>
> Johnson, who has training in herpetology, said that in western San Diego
> County there are three types of rattlesnakes: red, speckled and southern
Pacific.
>
> "The venom between the snakes is totally different," he said. "The most
> venomous is the southern Pacific and it's also the one that is most likely
to bite."
>
> Johnson said that if a person is bitten, they should take off any rings,
> watches or bracelets near the wound and go straight to the hospital.
>
> "You do not cut, you do not suck, you do not apply ice," he said, adding
that
> tying off the wound is also dangerous.
>
> Both doctors say the earlier the bites are treated, the better the
recovery
> will be.
> ...
> Treatment is the same for pets and people. It can include pain relief,
> antibiotics, anti-venin injections and, in some cases, surgery on the
wound and
> hyperbaric-oxygen treatment for faster healing.
>
> According to Concannon, one vial of anti-venin is $400 and it could take
up
> to five vials to work. A stay in the animal hospital can run from one to
five
> days and from $700 to thousands of dollars. Early treatment for pets can
save
> money because anti-venin lessens tissue damage, which is costly to
correct.
>
> "Curiosity is what gets them in trouble," said Concannon adding that 90
> percent of dogs get bitten on the nose when sniffing a snake. Cats, he
said, are
> usually bitten on the paw when they swat at a snake.
>
> Some experts recommend that people avoid snakebites while in brushy areas
by
> staying on hiking trails, wearing sturdy boots.
>
> Johnson said that there is not much people can do to avoid snakebites
except
> to be aware of their surroundings. If humans encounter a rattlesnake, they
> should just back off immediately. Standing still, he said, doesn't prevent
bites.
>
> "Most people get bitten because they pick it up," he said. "It's a
behavior
> problem."
>
> ... from staff writer Adrienne A. Aguirre
>
>
> ------------------------------