Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Wow look at the dates on the posts here... really dead. I figured I’d post this here instead of the general ven forum anyhow... I am curious to get information about persons who have been bitten (in my case EDR) and the reports of developing some sensitivity to either a second bite or is it a sensitivity to the antivenom? Where a subsequent bite is more of a problem than the first? Not that I am planning to get bit again (wasn’t planning on the first either) but is there more of a danger to me to maintain a non-venomoid because of the first bite? By the way, it was twenty years ago, but pretty severe at the time, and no, I wasn’t allergic to the serum. Not to add ammunition to the pro-venomoiders out there but it could be something I haven’t heard as a legitimate concern for “once bitten” to be “quite shy” (old Great White fan) regarding getting back on the horse.

You don't need to get bitten to develop a sensitivity to venom, all you need is to get exposed to it over a number of years. There are people who have been bitten once and anaphylaxis has set in, but this is more usual in people who milk snakes. It's hard to say whether or not you will be allergic to it. Bites can and do happen, it's part of the risk of keeping VENOMOUS snakes. An Epi-pen will take care of any fears you may have, unless it's a fear of jabbing yourself with a needle. I won't get into the whole venomous vs venomoid thing.

I don’t know what a Epi-pen is. Geeze my fifteen year old kid just looked over my shoulder and told me what it is. Where do they teach this stuff nowadays? Wow this is a new subject to me. I wouldn’t think I had been exposed to venom, aside from a bite, but if I think about it, there is always venom on the glass of an aquarium-type cage that you have to clean off, etc. Actually, lots of occasions to clean it up. I sure have had a lot more exposure to it than just being bitten once. I find it hard to understand developing a reaction to venom, aren’t you suppose to have a reaction to venom? I would think it would be weird not to have a reaction to it. I guess you mean, for lack of a better example the “dander” of venom? Or the air born particles that are present? I would think you develop immunity from it rather than sensitivity from long-term exposure. Thanks for the post, it was inspiring. I guess I will have to get into researching anaphylaxis and that whole subject.

As has already been mentioned, direct exposure, not only envenomation, is enough to cause an anaphylactic reaction.
It is almost impossible to avoid direct contact and/or inhalation of dried venom particulate when working with venomous specimens and many people have incurred sever allergic reactions from such, some resulting in complications equal to being directly envenomated.
Keep in mind, an epinephrine auto-injector, Epi-Pen is a brand name, will buy you time, but such will not always get you out of the woods and so prompt medical attention should be sought regardless of the mechanism causing the reaction…

Best regards,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947