NAPLES DAILY NEWS (Florida) 29 August 07 Famed snake handler recovering from rattlesnake bite at Lee hospital (John Osborne)
David “The Cobra Kid” Weathers, a professional venomous snake handler and animal trainer best known for his appearances on MTV’s “Wildboyz” and “Jackass 2: The Movie,” remained in fair condition at Lee Memorial Hospital Wednesday after being bitten by an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake Tuesday night, according to hospital spokeswoman Pat Dolce.
The 30-year-old Punta Gorda man was transported to Lee Memorial because it’s the nearest hospital that keeps a supply of anti-venom on hand. Dr. Timothy Dougherty, medical director of the emergency room and a board-certified toxicologist, said it wasn’t Weathers’ first trip to Lee Memorial for treatment.
“He was treated here before after a king cobra bit him a few years ago,” Dougherty said of Weathers’ last brush with death, which eventually landed him guest spots on “The Montel Williams Show” and “Ripley’s Believe it or Not.”
“I was involved in his care that time, but Dr. Tucker Green is the one who took care of him this time. He got the call last night, evaluated him and then administered the anti-venom.”
Oddly enough, Dougherty said he also once treated Weathers’ father for a venomous snakebite.
“They’re both snake handlers, and his father was bitten by the same king cobra he was,” Dougherty said. “The bites happened within six months of one another, and in those instances, we had to call the Miami-Dade EMS for a special anti-venom.”
Dougherty said instances of life-threatening snakebites in the area aren’t as rare as most people might think.
“We see snakebites at least three or four times a year,” he said. “As far as a snakebite that’s serious enough to require anti-venom, our most common cases in Southwest Florida involve the pygmy rattlesnake.”
While the pygmy rattlesnake may be small, its bite packs a big wallop, Dougherty said.
“It’s a smaller, more aggressive snake, and when people are out doing their landscaping, or they drop their phone in the shrubs, they’ll snap at you,” he said. “The bigger rattlesnakes mostly want to use their venom on animals, so they usually won’t bite unless they’re startled or feel threatened.”
The bite of an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake can easily be deadly, Dougherty said.
“The Eastern diamondback is a significant rattlesnake, and when people are bitten they have significant symptoms,” he said. “In about 20 percent of the cases, they get what we call a “dry bite,” where no venom is injected.
The other 80 percent of the time, there’s a lot of pain and swelling, swelling that can double in size within the first hour, and there’s also the problem of severe bleeding, not just at the site, but throughout the body. When people die from a rattlesnake bite, they mostly die due to complications from the bleeding.”
Dougherty said all five hospitals in the Lee Memorial Health System keep a supply of anti-venom on hand.
“Each hospital has enough to treat at least one life-threatening case,” he said.
Dougherty said there are certain steps you should take if you’re bitten by a venomous snake.
“The most important thing I recommend if you’re bitten by a snake is to immobilize the site and to get to an emergency room as fast as you can,” he said. “Don’t try to cut or suck the venom out, because that can cause tissue damage, and a dirty mouth over the wound just gets more bacteria under the skin. Let us evaluate the patient. If they need treatment, that’s what we’re here for.”
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/aug/29/famed_snake_handler_recovering_rattlesnake_bite_lm/

NBC 2 (Fort Myers, Florida) 29 August 07 Snake bite victim talks about his dangerous lifestyle
Video link story at URL below
Charlotte County: The man who was bitten by a venomous snake talked about the attack Wednesday from his hospital bed.
David Weathers is a snake handler and while cleaning out a cage Tuesday night, he was bitten by an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.
"At the same time I was letting go. I felt her teeth just hit me," said Weathers.
He owns about 150 snakes and this isn't the first time one of them has turned on him.
But he quickly knew this latest bite was serious.
Within 15 minutes he was losing feeling in his legs. Emergency crews airlifted him to Lee Memorial Hospital where he received anti-venin.
"I don't expect it to happen, but I accept it when it happens," said Weathers.
The 30-year-old says he likes living dangerously.
"It's what I do. I'm a snake guy. I'm a venomous snake handler," said Weathers.
About four years ago, he was attacked by a cobra.
Weathers says despite this latest encounter with a venomous snake, he will be back at work very soon.
"As soon as I can walk again, I've still got about a half dozen more to clean," he said.
And his run-ins with snakes and other wildlife have gotten the attention of the national media. Weathers has been on MTV, Animal Planet and even the National Geographic Channel.
http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=14346&z=3&p=

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