Marguerite
Active Member
Back to snakes - I think we have antivenin for them all, but you have to get it fast with a taipan.
Our kids are all taught basic bite first aid in elementary school. The first aid has changed a lot since I was a kid - now you do not wash the site, you do not cut the bite and suck out the poison. Instead, you bandage over the bite and up the limb. Only tourniquet if you need to stop serious bleeding. Keep the limb immobilised and get help fast. Not washing the skin makes it easier for them to sample any spilled venom to identify what bit you. Also, bandaging firmly over the bite and up towards the heart (compression bandage) blocks lymphatic circulation, which is the way a lot of these venoms propagate through the body. And, wonder of wonders - our deadliest, nastiest spider, the funnelweb - if you bandage over the bite like this, the patient's own body begins to break down the poison and by the time they get the antivenin, it may not even be needed. Absolutely brilliant!
And since they discovered this, and since the funnelweb antivenin was made, we have had no deaths from funnelweb spiders even though they now cover a much larger range. I have not even heard of anyone being bitten, and these are aggressive spiders. So knowledge and training cannot be underestimated. I know we have lots where we live, but I've only ever seen two in 30 years. A thick boot took care of THEM!
So about this dog - what do you plan to do with her?
Marg
Our kids are all taught basic bite first aid in elementary school. The first aid has changed a lot since I was a kid - now you do not wash the site, you do not cut the bite and suck out the poison. Instead, you bandage over the bite and up the limb. Only tourniquet if you need to stop serious bleeding. Keep the limb immobilised and get help fast. Not washing the skin makes it easier for them to sample any spilled venom to identify what bit you. Also, bandaging firmly over the bite and up towards the heart (compression bandage) blocks lymphatic circulation, which is the way a lot of these venoms propagate through the body. And, wonder of wonders - our deadliest, nastiest spider, the funnelweb - if you bandage over the bite like this, the patient's own body begins to break down the poison and by the time they get the antivenin, it may not even be needed. Absolutely brilliant!
And since they discovered this, and since the funnelweb antivenin was made, we have had no deaths from funnelweb spiders even though they now cover a much larger range. I have not even heard of anyone being bitten, and these are aggressive spiders. So knowledge and training cannot be underestimated. I know we have lots where we live, but I've only ever seen two in 30 years. A thick boot took care of THEM!
So about this dog - what do you plan to do with her?
Marg
