SNAKEBITE -- Just for the antivenin: $185,000

[W_E_G]

SNAKEBITE -- Just for the antivenin: $185,000... total bill before insurance is $198,462.50

[meltblown]

That is crazy. Damn, what a scam. Seriously, just wondering what a vet would charge for the same med as I would think they have them for animals.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

What kind of snake ?

[madmanmccoy]

That's Rattler anti-venin........and look at multiple cases , sometimes it takes ALOT of antivenin ,multiple vials .......lots of hospitals don't even have it,even if they are in snake infested areas

[W_E_G]

Probably a copperhead.

Never saw it. She was rummaging around "in the weeds" in the yard at dusk. Bare-handed.

Bit my wife on the index finger.

[TangoUniform]

Stupid expensive antivenin drug... but what is the value of life?

Hope your wife has a full recovery.

[Nev]

Probably a copperhead.

Never saw it. She was rummaging around "in the weeds" in the yard at dusk. Bare-handed.

Bit my wife on the index finger.

Damn. Double damn. I'm so sorry for you wife. I hope she has a quick, clean recovery and that abomination of a hospital bill goes away without additional pain.

I grew up in and am back in the desert in Tucson. Keep sticks and flashlight by each door. Among other things, between the snakes, scorps and spiders I don't bend down or touch anything I haven't poked already. Having grown up here, even when I was in Alaska I walked/hiked nervous as hell in tall grass or in the woods even though there was nothing to worry about except giant critters. Saw enough of them in TX to stay hyper vigilant. From when I was a kid I've seen rattlers and much more in the house, at the front door, almost stepped on them... My daughter was watering plants recently and noticed a baby rattler coiled up right in front of her after having stood there a while. Contrarily speaking, we don't kill them. They feed on the desert rats and ground squirrels I hate even more. Always nice when we see a king snake around, they take care of the rattlers.

Keep benadryl around for the dog if they ever get bit. I've heard many stories it worked. Otherwise, as much as we love our dogs, we'll settle in for a long vigil.

EDIT:
Just did a quick google. Copperheads are not the same as rattlers I'm familiar with, and don't have rattles. Almost all my experiences -- except the house, almost stepping on one, and my daughter watering -- have involved hearing the rattle. Not all, but most. Yea, copperheads, danger danger. I'd rather deal with diamond backs, they tend to say back off before they behave badly.

[meltblown]

BTW it's venom.

[madmanmccoy]

Probably a copperhead.

Never saw it. She was rummaging around "in the weeds" in the yard at dusk. Bare-handed.

Bit my wife on the index finger.

WOW didn't realize what happened when I read the op..Hope all's well..........
the "crotalidae" is what led me to "rattler".

they're all over here too & copperheads....

" Polyvalent crotalid antivenin (CroFab—Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine))" covers Rattlers,Copperheads & Moccasins....all PIT VIPERS

[AKFL]

BTW it's venom.

Lol glad someone said it. I was starting to stroke out a little reading venin.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

Less than a year ago I delivered 4 24" rattlers to a local guy that sells the snakes to the antivenom labs.

We have western diamond back mostly.

[meltblown]

BTW it's venom.

Lol glad someone said it. I was starting to stroke out a little reading venin.

At my age I have to wonder if I forgot how something is spelled or never knew how to spell it to begin with.

Still a damn rip off. Thank you for our wonderful healthcare system as of late.

[W_E_G]

Stupid expensive antivenin drug... but what is the value of life?

Hope your wife has a full recovery.

Thanks.

She's fine.

Felt fine the day after, except for some swelling and disoloration in the hand. All that resolved within a couple weeks.

Otherwise, these pics about 45 minutes after the bite.

The little teeny brownish-red dot to the right of the nail bed is the single puncture. Bled a couple bright red dots right after it happened. I could see it was a deep puncture.



Wider view.

[Sierra Nevada Marine]

WEG, Havent you seen world war Z.

https://youtu.be/72YaMl2Mxy8

[W_E_G]

Actually anti-VENIN is the correct spelling.

Although "anti-VENOM" seems to be an acceptable expression in common parlance and even seems to be used interchangably on the professional sites.


From the vendor website: https://crofab.com/

INDICATION
CroFab® Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) is a sheep-derived antivenin indicated for the management of adult and pediatric patients with North American crotalid envenomation. The term crotalid is used to describe the Crotalinae subfamily (formerly known as Crotalidae) of venomous snakes which includes rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths/water moccasins.

[madmanmccoy]

BTW it's venom.

Lol glad someone said it. I was starting to stroke out a little reading venin.

Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin
Polyvalent crotalid antivenin (CroFab—Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine)) covers :North American pit vipers (all rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antivenom#Snakes

[AKFL]

Actually anti-VENIN is the correct spelling.

Although "anti-VENOM" seems to be an acceptable expression in common parlance and even seems to be used interchangably on the professional sites.


From the vendor website: https://crofab.com/

INDICATION
CroFab® Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) is a sheep-derived antivenin indicated for the management of adult and pediatric patients with North American crotalid envenomation. The term crotalid is used to describe the Crotalinae subfamily (formerly known as Crotalidae) of venomous snakes which includes rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths/water moccasins.

Well great, stroke avoided lol.

[W_E_G]

From the same website at https://crofab.com/about-crofab/What-is-CroFab

Approved in 2000, CroFab® was designed to reduce the high incidence of hypersensitivity that occurred with previous antivenom therapy, and to provide a geographically relevant antivenom. In the years since, CroFab® has become the antivenom that healthcare professionals rely on for the treatment of North American pit viper envenomation.1,4

[Story]

Ball's Bluff Civil War Reenactment, 15 years ago (up Rt 15 just shy of the river crossing) - Friday night @ 10pm, kid and his dad were gathering wood from the pile for their Regiment's campfire and the boy got bit (supposedly a copperhead). I still remember his howl.

[nalioth]

This is a good example of how the insurance industry is fu**ing this country.

The listed price is the "bill to insurance price".

If you're indigent or don't have good insurance and ask them for a cash price, it'd be a very small percentage of what's shown.

[madmanmccoy]

Sure is expensive , and it's amazing how scarce it is considering how much extraction goes on.

Lots of bites in Florida and even some of those hospitals have to rush it to thier facility,
Anyone remember animal planet VENOM1[think that was the name] show about MIAMI{?} FD snake crews exploits......

There's times when adult snakes don't give a huge envenomation in a bite.....they know they need it for hunting/defense & are stingy ....at times...

Little snakes dump huge amounts because they don't know better.


Many snakes as I've seen &handled & been around,you'd think I'd know better........BUT....
One time many years ago, over to a buddy's I saw this tiny 4-5"MAX 'snake' and almost reflexively picked it up

My wife grabbed me & said: "What's the matter with you Boy? THAT is a COPPERHEAD!"
Sure as Hell it was ......................

[Travish]

Nails beat me to it. Was going to say cost to insurance $185,000. No insurance $187.50

[meltblown]

This is a good example of how the insurance industry is fu**ing this country.

The listed price is the "bill to insurance price".

If you're indigent or don't have good insurance and ask them for a cash price, it'd be a very small percentage of what's shown.

Even a small percentage of 200K is a lot of cabbage. I bet they wouldn't say the price. For me I would have had to gone home and called the vet and tell him a German shepherd got bit and put a rubber band around the finger and cutting the ole X. No I understand WEG's situation. You gotta do what ya gotta do for the wife.

[nalioth]

This is a good example of how the insurance industry is fu**ing this country.

The listed price is the "bill to insurance price".

If you're indigent or don't have good insurance and ask them for a cash price, it'd be a very small percentage of what's shown.

Even a small percentage of 200K is a lot of cabbage. I bet they wouldn't say the price. For me I would have had to gone home and called the vet and tell him a German shepherd got bit and put a rubber band around the finger and cutting the ole X. No I understand WEG's situation. You gotta do what ya gotta do for the wife.

. . . and nothing wrong with W.E.G's choice.

That's what insurance is for.


I'm just pointing out a fact is all.

[TheGreek!]

Wow I'm in the wrong line of work, I need to learn how to make antivenom and sell it to hospitals...