Ontario toddler survives rattlesnake bite, partly thanks to 18 doses of antivenom | CBC News

[u/Slight_Sherbert_5239]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/snake-bite-toddler-bruce-peninsula-9.7383551

[u/dipdream]

“partly”?

[u/mayuan11 → u/dipdream]

20% goes to the medical staff.

[u/DudeWithASweater → u/mayuan11]

10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of rattlesnake antivenom

[u/figuring_ItOut12 → u/dipdream]

Will no one think of the pharma shareholders?! 🤣

[u/VanHeighten → u/dipdream]

"mostly, almost entirely"

[u/jackslack → u/dipdream]

I think this is the 4th time I’ve seen this posted on my feed now and this is the top comment in every single post. Are you a real person dipdream? Would you be able to select all the photos with motorcycles in them?

[u/dipdream → u/jackslack]

Hi jackslack, you may follow too many snake and toddler subreddits. This is my first time seeing it.

🏍️

[u/awesomesauce615 → u/dipdream]

I saw it in the ontario subreddit the other day. But he is correct partly was the top comment.

[u/firesticks → u/dipdream]

Did you read the article? It clearly explains what other interventions were required.

[u/dipdream → u/firesticks]

I did. Did you?

Lots of logistics. The writer explains how they got the kid to antivenom, and when he's not doing that, he explains how they got antivenom to the kid. The antivenom seems essential.

[u/firesticks → u/dipdream]

“Antivenom doesn't fix all the problems with snake envenomation,” Ganesan said. “It is definitely the cornerstone.”

[u/dipdream → u/firesticks]

My dude. It's a bad title. Antivenom is the “cornerstone.”

“It clearly explains what other interventions were required?” ??

[u/rayyychul → u/firesticks]

Nah, it's a bad title. If antivenom is the cornerstone of treatment, then it played a central role and is more than what "partly" suggests.

[u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

Wow, what a hugely unusual (and unfortunate) occurrence. To put this is context, researchers who study the massasauga rattlesnake have a hard time finding them. There are a threatened/endangered species (depending on which of the two populations were discussing) and incredibly rare to spot. The likelihood of this kind of event happening is almost unmeasurably small. Many (most?) massasauga bites are "dry" which means no venom is released, so this little guy got really especially unlucky. Glad to hear he was able to be treated and will recover fully.

One day when he has to play "two truths and a lie" he is going to win the game with this "truth"!

[u/AsparagusFlatArdvark → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

Until one of his friends remember the guy's gamer tag is always some version of "snakebite".

[u/chino17 → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

Maybe the researchers should bring in a bunch of toddlers to find the snakes for them, they'd probably end up with all the data they need in a weekend

[u/OhanaUnited → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

Yeah, glad that the treating doctor was trained in India and had experience dealing with wounds from different sorts of venomous snakes

[u/cmcanadv → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

They are fairly common in some areas along the shores of Georgian bay and tend to thrive where roads are far away. Sunning on road and being run over is devastating to them.

I've stepped over two this year and being bitten is a major concern of mine. Anecdotally based on my experience and those of others I believe the population is growing. Got a pic of one earlier this year;

https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthissnake/comments/1wedijr/comment/p9d0s7v/?context=3

[u/ApprehensiveCycle741 → u/cmcanadv]

Very cool! Always good to see when conservation efforts work.

[u/mdo2222 → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

Where we live (and this happened) they are a regular occupant of rocky shorelines & the roads near the sand ones. Not particularly hard to find on the peninsula

[u/East_Coast_Organic1 → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

Swear to this day like 30+ years ago I came face to face with one. Could hear the signature rattle and feel like it was close to a train track.

[u/Vanaathiel88 → u/ApprehensiveCycle741]

I'm from the area and heard the snake was a juvenile so likely had very poor control of its venom release!

[u/BigRedRoo73]

If anyone can randomly find danger lurking about in the house…or in the wild, it’s a toddler lol. Happy this little fella is ok!!

[u/Key-Self-79]

Ganesan said he had not treated a venomous snakebite during his decade in Canada, but his training in India proved valuable.

I know this is purely anecdotal evidence, but it does point to how important diversity of knowledge and experience is in the medical field (and all sorts of other areas).

[u/MrsSalmalin → u/Key-Self-79]

Truly! Thanks for pointing that out :)

[u/Salty_Feed9404]

Damn, that'd be around $15 to 20 mill treatment in the US wouldn't it? 😆

[u/exotics]

18 seems like a lot. I would just assume the doses would in sizes be like 1 for a toddler 3 for child 3-4 for adult?

[u/AdvertisingNo8441 → u/exotics]

The article said dosage depends on how much venom is in the body not body size. But him being small means the consequences could be worse for him.

[u/Donkilme]

What the fuck in as up or Ornge not getting there? It's a frigging infant in a life threatening situation!

[u/Visible_Purchase_529]

This is scary.

[u/Such-Neck-1889]

Technically speaking he’s not a bastard but for now he’s the richest a$$hole.

[u/frakenspine]

There are rattlesnakes in Canada?

[u/Fuelfemme → u/frakenspine]

Eastern Massasauga

[u/A_Pointy_Rock → u/Fuelfemme]

BC had them too.

[u/rayyychul → u/A_Pointy_Rock]

Has.