Coral snake antivenin supply is dangerously low

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JENSEN BEACH, Fla. -- Sheri Kalina-Waite and her family buried Buster on Wednesday, one day after the former stray they nursed back to health was killed by a venomous coral snake in his own back yard.But Buster could still prove to be man's best friend -- if his death makes authorities wonder whether a human will die next from a shortage of antivenin that could have saved the Jack Russell terrier's life. "My son and my husband were on the phone all night long trying to find the antivenin," Kalina-Waite said. The only facility making FDA-approved antivenin for North American coral snakes closed its doors in 2002 after stockpiling several years worth of the medicine used to treat both humans and pets. To date, no manufacturer has produced any more to treat a deadly species of snake that bites only about 80 Americans each year, more than half of them in Florida. "There's a couple of vials left on the shelves of pharmacies and hospitals," Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, medical director of the poison control center at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital. "For the most part, supplies are dwindling, if not already gone." Coral snake venom paralyzes muscles needed to breathe. If antivenin cannot be quickly located, bite victims must be kept alive on a respirator for up to six weeks. Respirator care for a dog costs about $1,000 for the first day and $800 for each subsequent day, said Carsten Bandt, a veterinarian and assistant professor of critical care and emergency at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Bernstein said antivenin must be given before the onset of symptoms. Kalina-Waite said she and her family were told at a Fort Pierce veterinary clinic to begin searching hospitals for antivenin -- instructions she didn't like. "As far as I'm concerned, that's an emergency hospital for animals," she said. "You would think they would have that on hand."Tuesday, they took Buster to Savanna Animal Hospital in Jensen Beach. He died Tuesday afternoon, after the antivenin arrived too late.No pet outdoors can be kept completely safe from poisonous snakes. But Bandt offered the following tips to minimize risk:-- Trim hedges, cut lawns and remove brush piles from yards where dogs exercise.-- Don't let your dog swim in water where venomous cottonmouth moccasins may live.-- Keep pet dogs on a leash and away from overgrown areas that may harbor snakes.-- Hunting dogs can be sensitized to back away from the scent of poisonous snakes. Consult a dog trainer or hunting club.(James Kirley is a staff writer for Scripps Treasure Coast (Fla.) Newspapers, The Stuart News, Fort Pierce Tribune and Vero Beach Press Journal. E-mail Kirley(at)scripps.com.)