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[RC] Shock a snakebite? - rides2farI had the most > promising endurance horse I ever rode bit by a rattlesnake He is still unsound The prognosis isn't > good....massive scar tissue Several years ago Outdoor Life had features in 2 straight issues about treating snake bites with a high quality stun gun. The gist of it was that the venom had an electrical charge and the type of electricity in the stun gun made the venom separate to the two poles like oil and vinegar and it became harmless. No tissue damage...nothing. It was very controversial. They said you could do the same thing with jumper cables. Next issue had a letter back from a vet who had a man bring in a blue heeler that had been rattlesnake bit on the nose and was going to suffocate or something. Since he had read the article and didn't think conventional treatment would save the dog he nothing to lose and suggested to the owner they try the jumper cables. Zapped him a couple of times and the dog made a miraculous recovery. I know it all sounds weird but at the time I remember Outdoor Life was very defensive about it, expected everyone to be skeptical and had quite a few experts discuss it. It caused such a stir they did another major feature on it in a following issue. My husband was a surveyer (high snake risk job) at the time of the articles and called the stun gun manufacturer. The lady there said they were aware that they were being used for that purpose in remote areas of South America, etc. but they couldn't recommend them since they weren't exactly approved for medicinal purposes. >g< The magazine did point out that at that time there were lots of cheap stun guns being sold that weren't capable of treating the bites...you had to get the *good* one. (in other words my husband dropped about $100 for one). I later started carrying it with me in my pack during the height of snake season on my mountains. I made a point of keeping the battery separate since I did not want it zapping my backside as I bounced it down the trail. Susan, be glad you were with your biologist friend instead of me because I would have been zapping you. >g< By the way, it only worked on rattlesnake/copperhead type bites (pit vipers?) not Coral Snakes or Cobras (nerve type) It's been about 14 years since those articles were in there and I've never heard another word about shocking a snake bite (I think it was supposed to work for Black Widows & Brown Recluse spiders too). So, Susan,...anybody...ever heard of such? I figure what's the harm in trying if it *does* happen (no scar tissue Barbara)...according to the saleslady who claimed she let them be demonstrated on her regularly (cheap thrill?), it sounded about like grabbing an electric fence. Angie ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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