Just over a week ago, on a September morning, Peter Neal entered the workshop of his Pointe au Baril, Ont., cottage to find an eastern massasauga rattlesnake curled amongst his tools. Neal is no stranger to rattlers, having seen several slither across his property before. The eastern massasauga is native to the Bruce Peninsula and Georgian Bay areas, but has been spotted as far afield as Bracebridge, Haliburton, Windsor, and St. Catherines. It’s Ontario’s only venomous snake (with a bite dangerous enough to harm humans). When bitten, the species’ cytotoxin destroys tissue and, if left untreated, can impact blood pressure and the heart’s ability to function. But sightings are rare. The species was listed as threatened in 2008.
Wanting to get the snake out of the workshop, Neal donned gloves intending to move it. The snake was planted on his work bench, rattling its iconic tail and tracking Neal’s movements with its head. Neal reached for the snake, but the snake struck fast, biting through his glove into the knuckle of his middle finger.
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When Neal realized he’d been bitten, a friend who was staying at the cottage jumped in Neal’s truck and drove him to the West Parry Sound Health Centre. Neal kept his arm raised and stayed calm, but there was already noticeable swelling, the back of his hand becoming painful to the touch.
Within an hour, Neal was admitted to the health centre, which happens to house the Ontario Antivenom Depot, the largest receptacle of antivenin (also called antivenom) in the province and home to some of the most experienced rattlesnake experts in the country.
When it was determined that it had been a wet bite, meaning venom was injected (as opposed to a dry bite where no venom is injected), the doctors began administering antivenom intravenously. One vial of antivenom costs approximately $1,000, and Neal went through $10,000 worth. Thankfully for Neal, the treatment is covered by OHIP.
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According to Dr. Margaret Thompson, a toxicologist and the medical director of the Ontario Poison Centre, doctors will start by administering 10 vials and then reassess every two hours, deciding if the patient needs more based on whether symptoms are improving.
“I’m aware of a patient that needed 73 vials because of her envenomation,” says Thompson. “An average patient would probably require 12 to 18 vials.”
There is, however, a limited supply of antivenom in Ontario, and it’s the only treatment available to provincial healthcare providers for rattlesnake bites. The Ontario Antivenom Depot acquires its stock of antivenom from a company in Mexico. The time-consuming and complicated process of producing antivenom is a major reason that the medication is so expensive. It’s created by milking venomous snakes and then injecting that venom into horses. This causes the horse’s immune system to create antibodies, which are harvested from its blood and then purified into antivenom.
To get funding for antivenom, the depot has to apply each year to Health Canada. “Every time the depot applies to Health Canada, it has to prove with documentation that the patients it used the antivenom on last year benefited from it, and that there’s evidence in the literature—peer reviewed evidence—that said the antivenom will work for this particular snake,” Thompson says.
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Considering an average of two to three people per year are hospitalized in Ontario for rattlesnake bites—and the last death occurred over 50 years ago—it’s difficult for the depot to justify purchasing a large supply. Yet, antivenom only has a shelf life of three to four years, so it constantly needs to be turned over.
The depot also provides a small number of vials to hospitals around Ontario, such as Bracebridge and Haliburton, so a patient can be treated immediately, with the depot couriering over more vials if needed.
After receiving his antivenom, Neal spent 36 hours in the hospital before being released. He’s since had a follow-up with his doctor in Toronto for blood work, but, overall, feels good.
“It kind of spoiled my weekend plans,” Neal jokes. However, he says he holds no ill will against rattlesnakes. “I advocate for them. I will continue to be a protector of them. They really aren’t harmful unless you play games.”
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Neal’s right to advocate for the eastern massasauga. The species is an important player in Ontario’s ecosystem, yet habitat loss and interactions with humans is causing its numbers to dwindle. If you encounter a rattlesnake, don’t capture or kill it. In fact, killing an eastern massasauga rattlesnake carries a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year.
If you are walking in known massasauga habitat, the provincial government recommends wearing leather hiking boots and loose-fitting pants. And watch for snakes crossing the road when driving.
If you’re bitten by a rattlesnake, don’t panic. Excessive movement can cause the venom to pump through you faster. Don’t apply ice or a tourniquet. Instead, clean the wound with soap and water and get to the hospital as quickly as possible.
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