Sling Bites

[bness2]

Originally posted by Joy

Bryan, I don't know if you're familiar with the treatment Dr. Breene describes in his book on recluses. Apparently if you apply a 1% nitroglycerin patch to the site soon after the bite occurs, it prevents symptoms from developing. The doctor who discovered this has had a 100% success rate for the 15 years or so he's been using it, but unfortunately most doctors know nothing about it. Also unfortunately (as you mention in your post), a lot of recluse bites occur without people realizing what bit them or even that they were bitten at all.

Joy

Joy,

No, I am not familiar with it. Do you have some kind of reference on that? It still doesn't help the people that don't know they were bitten until symptoms are already in full swing. And the symptoms can develop so slowly too.

At least with a T you know you've been bitten, and fortunately their bite is much less serious.

Bryan

 

[Wade]

My understanding is that the chelicerae of the brown recluse are fused and are simply not capable of envenomating a person unless the fangs are actually pressed into the flesh. Of course there are plenty of ways for that to happen. I think I got this from the same Dr. Breene of the ATS and AAS that Joy mentioned. It's possible I've got something wrong here.

Many supposed reports of recluse bites are based on doctors diagnosing the bites themselves, without a spider. Many other spiders and insects can cause a necrotic effects under various circumstaces. Whenever I here someone talking in hushed tones about the imfamous brown recluse, my eyes roll involuntarily, due to the huge volume of misinformation.

Wade

 

[bness2]

Wade,

I am somewhat of a skeptic too when it comes to brown recluses. Brown recluses occur in our area, but are rather rare, and the number of supposed bites seems to be a lot higher than it should be considering their rarity. It doesn't seem like people report any greater numbers of bites in areas where they are common.

My skepticism here is similar to that for Lyme's disease. People do contract it, but too many times it gets diagnosed as Lyme's disease because the doctor can't come up with any other valid diagnosis. It used to be, "oh, you must have some kind of virus." Now it's "you must have Lyme's disease" or in the case of a nasty spider bite that has become infected, "it must be a brown recluse bite." I've never even seen a brown recluse in my area, and I pay more attention to spiders and other inverts than most people.

Bryan

 

[Wade]

Yeah, here in VA we here about a lot of cases of recluse bites...but we're well outside the known range for the species! It doesn't seem to matter to the local TV stations and newspapers...

Wade

 

[Tranz]

Originally posted by bness2
Joy,

No, I am not familiar with it. Do you have some kind of reference on that? It still doesn't help the people that don't know they were bitten until symptoms are already in full swing. And the symptoms can develop so slowly too.

At least with a T you know you've been bitten, and fortunately their bite is much less serious.

Bryan

This site relates to the nitroglycerin patch to treat Brown Recluse bites, if you can put up with the annoying Geocities banner, which is worse than any spider bite.

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/2021/recluse/spindex.html

 

[bness2]

Tranz,

Thanks for the link. I think I will file it away for future reference.

Bryan

 

[Gail]

Re: ><

Originally posted by Vayu Son
From http://bighairyspiders.com (credit to tom schumm):

Species: Poecilotheria regalis
Reported by: Bryant Capiz
He was feeding a baby regalis (about 2.5"), and he got a little too close (apparently the spider mistook his thumb for food). It held on for 20-30 seconds. -V

OK, so maybe I just don't love my spiders as much as I thought. I could never let one of them "hang on for 20-30 seconds". I would likely kill any of them - strictly unintentionally - if I was bitten just because of the reflex response. I actually felt really bad because my 2" chiliean copper ran out onto my finger when I wasn't looking (holding the open container in one hand while fishing for a crix with the other) and it startled me and I had an instant drop container and flick hand response which sent the poor thing "PLOP" to the carpet. Fortunately I was sitting on the floor and it wasn't hurt although it was quite confused LOL.

Gail

 

[conipto]

Re: Re: ><

Originally posted by Gail
OK, so maybe I just don't love my spiders as much as I thought. I could never let one of them "hang on for 20-30 seconds".

Gail

I think if I got past the initial entry of the fangs without killing the poor guy, I'd be able to calmly pull the T off. Having too few and having been too careful, I have not been bitten yet. However, given my luck in life, I'm sure it will happen sooner or later

Bill