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WEWS 5 (Cleveland, Ohio) 04 August 03 Man Bitten By Venemous Pet Snake - No Antivenim Found In North America
Dayton, Ohio: A Dayton-area man is in the emergency room this morning after being bit by his venemous pet snake.
The man was handling a Central African rhino viper in his home in the Dayton suburb of Oakwood around 7:30 p.m. when it bit him.
The man is a Dayton firefighter who has a snake collection at his home.
Dayton Fire Lt. Dan Stockstill would not give the man's name but said he was in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton and later was life-flighted to the University of Cincinnati Hospital.
A hospital representative would not give the man's condition.
Stockstill said the rhino viper was two-to-four feet long and extremely venomous.
He said doctors told him there is no rhino viper antivenim in all of North America, so they are using gaboon viper antivenim instead.
Man Bitten By Venemous Pet Snake - No Antivenim Found In North America

Do they even produce AV spacificly for rhinos??? I was always under the impression they would use the South African polyent used to treat gaboon and puff adder bites anyway.....

>>Do they even produce AV spacificly for rhinos??? I was always under the impression they would use the South African polyent used to treat gaboon and puff adder bites anyway.....

Yup, that part sounded fishy in the original report. There is no specific gaboon viper antivenom (although the S. African polyvalent may onclude gabonica venom in the production). One hope they did not waste valuable time trying to track down soemthing that does not exist.

A very tragic reminder of the single most important factor for surviving a venomous bite: BE PREPARED!!!

Cheers,

Wolfgang
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WW

WW Home

I agree. I find it hard to believe that in such close proximity to Jim Harrison at KY Reptile Zoo, they couldn't get SAIMR Polyvalent from him or even Cincinnatti or Toledo???

Maybe they did try, or was it a case of the doctors being that un-educated about antivenom? It's too easy to question after the fact, but it seems like there was a lack of coordination at the hospital, and as you say, it seems that the victim was not prepared with bite protocols, phone #'s

A sad event that maybe could've been prevented.

Matt

there is no specific antivenin for Nasicornis, but SAVP has had good results with it's polyvalent. In short NO av specific for the bites
Barry

As a side note the venom of nasicornis is more toxic then that of gabonica, but lacks the venom reserve to consistantly inflict fatal bites, not that it can't though therer are to now no known deathes directly attributed to Nasicornis, Size does count and they simply don't have the venom reserve for the toxcity levels of their venom, not that I intend to be a test case to prove that theroy lol
Barry

I am from the Dayton Ohio aera and on the 6pm news they just told us that the Dayton firefighter that was bitten has passed. another firefighter did fly from Fla. with the AV. but there was not enough time. Just thought I would give a little update. My deepest Synpathy to Mr. Peterman's friends and family.
Gregz
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I'm not mad with insanity...I'm perfectly happy with it.

Hate to see that happen to anyone.

The print press' version of gregz's update ...

DAYTON DAILY NEWS (Ohio) 05 August 03 Pet snake’s bite kills firefighter - Anti-venom arrives just minutes before death (Lou Grieco and Brandelyn Hall)

Dayton: A Dayton firefighter died Monday at the University of Cincinnati Hospital after being attacked by a poisonous pet snake Sunday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Michael Peterman, 48, of 2645 Collins Ave. was pronounced dead at 3:17 p.m., the Hamilton County Coroner's office said. An autopsy is planned for today.

An anti-venom flown in from Miami-Dade County in Florida arrived at the Cincinnati airport at 3 p.m., but Peterman died before the anti-venom was delivered to the hospital, said Robert Dees, hospital spokesman.

Peterman was known to Dayton firefighters as a collector of snakes and lizards who was occasionally called out to deal with reptiles.

The snake that bit Peterman was identified as an African rhino viper by exotic animal rescuer Tim Harrison. Harrison, who is also an Oakwood police officer, said the reptile is very aggressive and capable of striking quickly when threatened or hungry.

Harrison, who founded the group Outreach for Animals to rescue exotic animals and to educate the public about them, said he was called by the hospital to identify and take care of the snake after the bite.

He said he believes the attack happened after Peterman accidentally hit the snake while trying to feed it.

The African rhino viper is considered to be one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. Native to the tropical forests of central and west Africa, the snake can grow up to 4 feet in length. The rhino viper's venom attacks the circulatory system, destroying tissue and blood vessels. Its name comes from the two or three distinctive "horns" it has above each nostril.

The snake that attacked Peterman is at Heaven's Corner Zoo for Endangered Animals in West Alexandria.

Officials with the Fire Department and Dayton Firefighters Local 136 declined to comment Monday.

Peterman was off duty July 31, 1998, when someone found a python under a truck parked at Benham's Caterers and Restaurant at 209 Warren Street, just down the street from Company 11. Firefighters from the station picked up the snake, placed it in a 55-gallon trash can, then called Peterman.

Peterman told the firefighters it appeared healthy and well fed and probably had been someone's pet. He declined an offer to adopt the python because he had no cage large enough.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0805snake.html

BEACON JOURNAL (Akron, Ohio) 05 August 03 Snake collector dies from venomous bite

Dayton: A snake collector died Monday, a day after one of his venomous pets bit him.

Michael Peterman, 48, was pronounced dead at 3:17 p.m. at University of Cincinnati Hospital, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office said. An autopsy was scheduled for today, he said.

Peterman, a firefighter who collected snakes and lizards at his Dayton home, was bitten by an African rhino viper Sunday night.
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/6460384.htm

This is a real shame and my sympathies go out to this individual and his family. There are four major zoos in Ohio that have sizable reptile collections and at least two of these institutions, according to ISIS, have B. nasicornis or B. gabonica. One would certainly think that these zoos maintain antivenom stock (per AZA regulations), which makes me wonder why this patient's antivenom was being flown in from the Dade County AV Bank (??). Does anyone out there know why the AV was not being provided by one of the zoos in such a critical case like this? This definitely acts as a serious reminder to all keepers to be aware of AV availability.

This case should also prompt herp societies, in those states where venomous reptiles are permitted, to create regional AV banks. The Dade County AV bank is a good model for this and should be followed in other areas of the US so that antivenom can be expedited quickly. Private keepers should not have to rely on zoo AV stock, hospital stock or AV from other state banks. Although there are many challenges and expenses with acquiring and storing AV, more regional banks are necessary. The expense should of course be incurred by the venomous keepers.

With that said........hindsight is 20/20!

MR

Use this story as a reminder of how much respect we must paid to these amazing, yet unforgiving god's creatures.

Not much else I can say.

Signed: mournfully yours.
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Longtang. I like snakes and rats.

Since when did a snake become unforgiving-----never--much of what these animals do is purely impules driven nothing more nothing less. The exact circumstances of the bite, however tragic the net results are, need to be exaimed so as to take a lesson for us all to take away from this----so WE can aviod making the same error or misstep. Notices none of the details that caused the bite were present--too busy styating the " One of the deadliest snakes in africa " Since when------their bites are almost unknown in africa proper---takes us hot keepers to be bitten thats why no specific av was made bites so seldom occur. Gabby bites also quite rare apparently, but these snakes just by looking at them could scare the dog snot out of you were you in the forest and was in the process of stepping on one buried in the leaf litter when you noticed it. Unless someone kmows something different-- while nasicornis has more toxic venom, carries far less then either Gabs and Puff Adders, He simply lacks the ability to with certianity inflict a fatal bite this case execpted as the full details as to treatment or lack there of we will probably never know. It was a sin and a shame that the fireman died, further complicated by the excessive time used to secure av, as to his overall health who knows, we don't all factors, how allergic to the venom was he? So many factors that could have and probably did contribute to this death, where to start first in nearly a impossible task wait start with the bite itself aside from that and that he died we know nothing, and all considered we probably won't know with certianity what the hospital did and in what order, we will know what they said they did, and in the order they say they did it in. Well enough just my thoughts
Barry

I hate to say it but I smell a lawsuit.

more f*cked up laws to be passed against "dangerous" animals on the horizon? Be on the lookout BEFORE it is law.

It is sad to hear of accidents like these.
If the AV would have been available instantly he probably would have survived with little or no permanent problems.

I was hours off passing away myself in March this year after being bitten by a Dendroaspis jaemesonii. Its always toughest for our family members when an accident happens. I remember my then 6 month pregnant wife crying next to me while I was puking and nearly suffocating driving in a Taxi from Hospital to Hospital looking for Antivenom. Its something one does not like to remember.

We often just tend to forget the seriousness of a unexpected (and they always are) bite.
No one is a handler soo good that he cant be bitten. Anyone may just simply have bad luck and get a strike when least prepared for it. And it really can happen to ANYONE.

I certainly learned. I have AV in my fridge now and know where to go with it to have it administered to me within minutes if I get bitten.

By the way I got Polyvalent AV for Tropical Africa produced in India covering Bitis, Echis and Dendroaspis polylepis.
I sure was happy that it worked on the jamesonii aswell. I was able to leave the hospital 12 hours after getting the AV.

So, may God bless the family of this man.

WEWS-5 (Cleveland, Ohio) Firefighter Dies After Bite From Pet Snake - Dayton Man Dies At University Hospital
Cincinnati: Despite a cross-country effort to save a firefighter's life, doctors could not save the Ohio man hours after a snake bit him.
The victim, Michael Peterman, was a 14-year veteran of the Dayton Fire Department who also was a snake and lizard collector. He was taken to University Hospital Sunday night, where he died Monday afternoon.
Antivenim for the Central African rhinoceros viper is normally hard to come by, and in this case, ended up being impossible to find in this country. The rhino viper is known for its horns and deadly venim.
"Some (bites) cause paralysis, some cause swelling and most of them cause shock, where the blood stops coagulating and people either bleed from the tissues or fluid leaks out of their blood vessels," Drug & Poison Information Center spokesman Dr. Randall Bond said.
Bond, who actually has studied snake bites in Africa, said that surviving a bite from the rhino viper can sometimes depend on the location of the bite.
"Rarely, people will be invenomated right into a vein, so it's like shooting up the venom, as opposed to simply getting it into a muscle and slowly having it leak into the body," he said.
The rhino viper is small and less aggressive than its cousin, the Gaboon viper, Cooney reported. It uses long fangs, potent venom and powerful jaws to kill its prey. When fully grown, the snake can measure nearly 4 feet long. And when its excited, it can inflate its body to double its size.
Like practically anything else, a rhino viper can be purchased online, Cooney reported. Cooney found a baby viper available online for $75 plus shipping. Adult snakes were available for about $125.
Dayton Man Dies At University Hospital

The sad fact it that we as herpers and keepers of venomous reptiles MUST do the homework for the emergency treatment centers--to expect them to obviously is way too much to expect. I was bitten by a juvie C. Atrox, moderate envenomation and the attending effects and symptoms---took a hindu doctor to clearly see what the problem was to do little research and to commence treatment----now I WAS TELLING THEM WHAT I NEEDED--they ( the nurses and E.R. doctor, refused to beleive that antivenin for copperhead ( agkistrodon ), bites could possibly be effective for other crotalids. I begged them to read the label on the av vials good for all species agkistrodon, crotalus, sistrurus even some bothrops. They had to be told what to do by the hindu doctor who had to deal with snake bites in Bombay, India as a matter of course and knew what was required, which in India, often times av is not readily available. Point is We should be the keepers of our fate, and as I am doing making arraingements for my own AV to be bought and stored by me from SAVP. Since I am also getting Echic Carinatus, now will apply and get AV from Pakistan. I am not independantly wealthy, but the cost of recovering from say a echis bite without AV would with no problem exceed 15,000.00 dollars AV will cost about 1300.00 and dramatically increase odds of favorable prognosis, and reduce recovery time--less time= less money Suddenly 1300.00 sounds like a bargin when compared to the tens of thousands that you assurredly will spend without it, and recovery phase will almost certianly be greatly protracted.
Barry

What method is used for storing anti-venin and what is the shelf life?

>>What method is used for storing anti-venin and what is the shelf life?

(i) refrigerator

(ii) shelf life is variable - normally 3-5 years according to product label. However, freeze-dried antivenom will keep for many years ebyong its official shelf-life, and liquid antivenom should be OK provided it is clear without any evidence of precipitation. However, you may have a job convincing lawsuit-paranoid medics to give you any out-of-date drug.

Cheers,

Wolfgang
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WW

WW Home

refrigerate at about 45 degrees can freeze but risk crackinh the vial, besides warming up cold dera is not the same as thawing frozen srea---takes lots longer. SAVP claims 5 yr shelf life, but also say as long as not cloudy is still good.
Barry

I live 20 miles from dayton and being this close I have noticed the media is running wild with this story but all I am hearing is about the ONE man bitten by ONE snake. Geez I wonder how many people in Dayton got bit by dogs? Although I guess that would not help ratings. I think that Ohio with their little sting raids at the shows and all their media attention to make people deathly afraid of snakes and reptiles should concentrate on the shootings, missing babies and drug dealers. because I'm sure more people died from gunshots, overdoses, and kidnappings in the last week than of snake bites. I'm not going to rant on and on but when is the last time anyone has seen a news headline that read "Reptile hobbyist captive breeding program saving rainforest reptiles". Just my 2 cents take it or leave it.

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I'm not mad with insanity...I'm perfectly happy with it.

sorry wrong post got all my scales rubbed the wrong way and forgot what post I was on....lol
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I'm not mad with insanity...I'm perfectly happy with it.

This is most definitely a tragedy and it hits home for me, because I (like many of you) keep hots. On the other hand I feel a very pro-legislation wind being blown in our direction as I read these news reports. In light of recent "stings" and such in that area these reports almost seem like a good excuse for legal action. Notice how the snake bite expert adds the fact that one can purchase these animals very cheaply online. Why would this information be relevant to this story unless one wanted to paint an "easy public access to a dangerous animal" scenario? It seems obvious that this firefighter had a love and passion for herps and it would seem that a legislation against these animals because of this would be a dishonor to him. I know it would be for me.