Just curious...snake bites.

[ncgirl]

What has been the longterm effects of your young copperhead snake bite?  My grown daughter was bit last evening on the foot.  Her entire foot and ankle are swallen and there is a lot of purple and gray area on her foot.  The pain is escruciating and they are giving her antivenom meds every few hours.  Will her foot return to normal or will she have permenant damage?

[GrizzlyIT]

NCGirl, your daughter's foot should return to normal with no long term effects, from the sounds of it, she took quite a strike with that amount of swelling and brusing. Sounds as if she is also having a reaction, be cautious she is not reacting to the antivenom! It's not unheard of! The cure worst than the bite!!There are spyder bites and other venomous snakes that the venom does actually kill the cells it comes in contact with! Copperheads don't have that kind of venom that I know of.Hillbilly, why kill the snakes? Sounds like a neanderthal reaction to a snake. It's just doing what it has to for survival. Move it to where it won't harm you, live and let live. Unless you like to eat them as some do!The Grizz WebshotsGrizz's New Web HomeWhen you are arguing with an idiot, make sure the other person isn't doing the same thing.Grizz '6DD '92DS '93[popgreen] 2 Coleman Bayside c/w Air[pu-k]   F 15 EXFinally got the Brakes workin'

[ncgirl]

Thanks Grizz.  It just looks so bad and the emergency room personel waited 3 hours before giving her any meds.  The swelling wasn't enough for them, they wanted it red and purple first, then sent her to a regular room and she didn't get anymore treatment till 9 hours later.

[GrizzlyIT]

Yeah that sounds about right to me NCgirl. Here in Ontario we have Massassaga Rattlers, and I would say 9% of the time or more, anti venom is not administered. They are watched over night, put on a monitor to monitor the heart, just in case I would think, and then release the next day if the feel well!The Grizz WebshotsGrizz's New Web HomeWhen you are arguing with an idiot, make sure the other person isn't doing the same thing.Grizz '6DD '92DS '93[popgreen] 2 Coleman Bayside c/w Air[pu-k]   F 15 EXFinally got the Brakes workin'

[sjones]

I was bitten by one when I was 11 years old on the upper right arm about 2 inches above the elbow when I was moving some old lumber at my grandfathers house,at first I thought it was a bee sting till I looked down and it was still hanging from my arm.I went and got grandpop and he took me to the hospital and they gave me some antivenom shots and I was pretty sick for about 3 or 4 days.I am now 65 and still have the scar.You can see the marks clear as day.I HATE SNAKES.sj

[TRMA18]

[quoteHillbilly, why kill the snakes? Sounds like a neanderthal reaction to a snake. It's just doing what it has to for survival. Move it to where it won't harm you, live and let live. Unless you like to eat them as some do![/quote]Like i said to each his own. I will not kill a non poisonous "helpful" snake. I had a 5' black snake live under the old house for years. even had to get it out of my laundry room once. But I have no use for any animal even a dog that has the diposition to harm any of my family. I have the mind set and the ability to dispatch anything that may threaten my family, even if it is doing what nature intended it to do. Sorry if it sounds like a cave man thing to do, But just the way I am. I didnt fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables. I'm getting off my soap box now and returning to my snake free cave. Want to come in set next to the fire and join me for a cold one friend. about the eating part, I have always wanted to try snake cooked over an open fire. Sound good! MMMMMMM!TRMA18Hillbilly CampersHillbilly Pics

[nccampingfamily]

Never ran into it camping. But in our old house, dh stepped out the front door one day, and thank God something told him to look down, bc curled up right there on the top step was an adult copperhead. UGLY!!! Glad BIL is OK, how scary!

[Roaring_Fork]

I have never encountered a venomous snake while camping but have seen many rattle snakes while doing other hobbies.  When out geocaching I am very conscious about venomous snakes because the places where geocaches are hidden are usually occupied by other creepy crawly things.  Be careful out there!R_F

[jhjbsmith]

I have to say I have never seen a snake camping until this past Memorial Day weekend.  Last year I heard warnings of them but this year it seems someone has one on their site or caught one while fishing (we had 4-5 of this is weekend).  I was really shocked at the amount of snake sightings this year.  These are my biggest fear probably more now having a fishing teen and a 1 yr old playing in the grass and then walking the pup at night.  Like you say "to each their own"  but if its poisonous and its in my yard its a dead snake.  At the campground without a big shovel I'm outta there.  But they did kill the poisonous ones that were on sites.Heather & JimJustin (12Y)Bryson (17mths)Cooper: New Westie Pup27 Fleetwood Utah

[iresq]

Reminds me of a story about two guys taking a hike when one fellow was bitten by a snake in an unmentionable place.  His buddy ran into town were the local doc explained how to extract the poison.  THe ran back to his friend and proclaimed "The doctor said you were going to die".'4 Utah  '6 Sienna[st-MD]Me 64, DW 71, DS 95, DS 98, DS 98

[katy052480]

I have a question, for you all, as it seems that my experience with medicine is with increasingly incompetent doctors.  Five years ago I was bit by a copperhead snake on my right foot in central PA - took three different hospitals to diagnose snake bite and the PennState biology department to classify the snake - and received no treatment aside from a pair of crutches.  Is it possible to have long term neurological side effects from a copperhead bite?  Over the last 5 years I have had progressive pain spreading up my right side with numbness and tingling.  What type of doctor would know about such things?  THanks!