A RECENT call-out to a snake rescue in the Queensburgh location took a possibly deadly turn after rescuer Grant Cavanagh was bitten by a black mamba.
Cavanagh of the Durban South Snake Rescue group was moving boxes outside a home in Sarnia looking for a snake when he felt an acute pain in his forefinger on his right-hand man.
The Bellair resident invested simply one night in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) under the careful eyes of staff at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital.
He received a dose of 8 vials of polyvalent antivenom and was launched a day after being bitten.
The black-mamba bite survivor just recently stated his tale to Queensburgh News.
“Initially, I wasn’t sure what kind of snake I was trying to find. It was the day after the storms which damaged Durban, and I was moving boxes out on a patio area looking for the snake when I felt a sharp burn to my forefinger. I acknowledged the snake instantly by its black mouth which it shows when threatened. They bring a neurotoxic venom which impacts the nerves of the body and your heart, so I understood time was of the essence. I handled to catch the snake and location it in a holder. I then began my stop-watch to keep an eye on any negative effects from the time of the bite and drove myself to the medical facility.
“I was hoping it was a ‘dry’ bite – little or no venom injected. Most snakes have control of their venom glands. Unfortunately, I got the full dose from this young mamba. Within a half-hour of being bitten, I began to experience the side effects. My lips began tingling, and I had a metallic taste in my mouth. I was really battling with breathing, and according to my wife and Nick Evans, I was biting my tongue. My legs went numb – it felt like they were two blocks of lead,” he said.
He was then hurried through to the ICU system at the medical facility.
“The feeling after being bitten was the scariest feeling in the world and one I can’t truly explain. You are sort of in-between panic and not sure if you are going to survive. When the doctor administered the antivenom, I could actually feel it going into my veins; it was sort of a cold liquid running through my body. Not every snake-bite victim is given antivenom as some people never experience symptoms severe enough to justify its administration,” he said.
Cavanagh, who is now on the heal, said his greatest grievance now is a couple of cramps he receives from time to time.
“Thankfully, the results I suffered weren’t that extreme. In truth, the day after being launched from medical facility, I reacted to a call-out for another black mamba. Two days after that, I rescued a black mamba in Winston Park. I believe the greatest thing for me is the assistance I received from individuals around me.
“Dr Timothy Hardcastle and the Trauma and ICU Unit staff at the hospital were incredible. Members of the Bellair CPF were so supportive, and many of them reached out to see if they could assist me or my family in any way. Nick Evans, who I work with, was also super helpful,” he said.
- For any snake-related saves, contact Grant on 084 267 9402 or you can follow the Durban South Snake Rescue Facebook page.
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