Hi...

Kudukid s quite accurate in his reply. CroFab is the best (to date) antivenin (yes, that's spelled right) available. And, it is PRICEY...!!

According information from: Kaiser Permanenti, drugstore.com, WebMD, California Dep't of Fish and Game and the Utah Poison Control Center:

Approximately 20% of rattlesnake bites are dry bites (no venom injected), and approximately 25% are serious bites. Most bites occur due to trying to play with and/or capture Rattlesnakes.

Rattlesnake bites are usually treated with the drug CroFab, which had FDA approval since October 02, 2000. CroFab wholesales for $4,687.76 for two vials, (as of two years ago)...!! Moderate invenomation may require 10 to 20 vials of CroFab. Severe bites may require 20 or more vials.

Call your nearest hospital to see if they carry any, and what the costs are.

The above authorities can give you more info as to how to treat venomous snake bites until you can get to a hospital.

Brian: The effectiveness of the venom increases with depth because a deeper bite usually means the snake will be able to deliver more venom before extracting its fangs. Also a shallow bite would likely be more successfully "treated" with the gyppo suction kit because the venom would necessarily be deposited closer to the surface. There are other factors to consider, particularly whether the timber rattler retains type A, B, or C venom. I was surprised to learn there could be so much venom variation in one species of snake.

I don't hunt with snake gators when I go back to Montana every fall for pheasants but maybe I should think about it. My older lab got nailed two years ago by a prairie rattler in late October on a near-frosty night (I could see my breath in the moonlight). Pretty weird but goes to show you that anything can happen. Luckily the snake clearly only hit her with one fang and prairie rattlers aren't terribly venomous. She still had to sit on the bench for three weeks and, as you can tell by the photo of her in my profile, she wasn't very happy about that.

Always carry benydril in snake country as anaphilaxis reaction kills more often than the venom does.

WOW! Modern medicine be dammed.

CUTTING and suction was proven to create more problems than any North American snake bit back in 1954. I guess the snake bit kit manufactures still like making $$.

And reporters don't check it out before publishing.

Increased hart rate, infection, shock all are compounded by cutting, with no effect on the venom distribution.

Check it out. Don't cut a snake bite.

Two or three years ago I come very close to setting down on a copperhead while setting up on a gobbler in the early light of dawn. This past year I came very close to stepping on a cottonmouth walking out the first evening of bow season(October 15). It'll definitely make you aware in the warm part of season and you will always make sure you have good batteries in your flashlights.

This guy wasn't "lucky" but had the foresight to think ahead. Good for him!

If a bite is serious go get some Crofab ASAP! It will work on all US rattlesnakes, moccasins and copperheads.Be prepared for hospital/doctor bills equal to a mortgage on a middle-income house.

Serum sickness with Crofab is also much reduced from the earlier antivenins made from horse blood.

Anaphylaxis is another worry. Some of the different allergy medicines may also work to reduce that risk.

Stop splitting hairs. sorry

To be honest, this story certainly wasn't restrained in the telling. There are a great many variables in any snake bite. Too many to get a clear idea of what actually took place.

His doctor telling him he would have died but for using the kit makes for exciting reading but death of a big healthy man from a single leg bite is unlikely without striking a vein or artery.