...is a bad mix.

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Posted by MsTT on September 19, 2001 at 23:36:04:

In Reply to: alcohol and venom posted by Bryan Grieg Fry on September 19, 2001 at 23:07:56:

: Ignoring the affect alcohol has on judgement, its a bad move to mix the two because of a few complications that can emerge during treatment. If an antihistamine needs to be given, this will have a synergistic effect with the alcohol resulting in possible loss of consciousness amongst other effects. In addition, the magnified drowsiness will make the evaluation of neurotoxicity that much more difficult.

Ignoring the affect alcohol has on judgement and on your pharmokinetics, it has an exceptionally bad effect on the image of all venomous reptile keepers when you let your safety protocols lapse and get caught out at it by the press.

The recent spate of bites (three bad ones to people I know, in one week!) has gotten me thinking about how I can discipline myself to practice better safety protocol and not take the kind of overconfident shortcuts that could result in a bite. I think one of the chief dangers of working with venomous reptiles is getting too easy and comfortable with them, and letting your guard down. You think you can drink that beer, or tail your cobras while wearing shorts and no shoes, or answer the phone while feeding the mambas with your other hand, and it's no big deal. Then it turns into a very big deal indeed and you find yourself having to explain to an embarrassingly large number of people why you ever thought it was a good idea to do that.

I suspect most of us who have worked around hots for a long time have gotten into some appallingly bad habits at home because we're comfortable and because there is no formal written safety protocol in our own houses that we must abide by or be fired. That is both the blessing and the curse of the private keeper.

I'm not just throwing stones at glass houses here; I have a few bad habits that could stand improvement. How about we all stand together on this issue and agree to help each other exercise more self-discipline? I'll whack you one upside the head for having a beer before handling, and you can yell at me for medicating rattlesnakes with no shoes on. I'd rather be a picky anal retentive than dead or missing chunks, and I'd prefer all my friends stay healthy too. Sound like a good deal?

Regards,

Follow Ups:

Re: a bad mix, indeed... Greg Longhurst 09/20/01 (0)
Great to see you back Tim,,,more Doug W 09/20/01 (1)
- Re: Great to see you back Tim,,,more Bryan Grieg Fry 09/20/01 (0)

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: : Ignoring the affect alcohol has on judgement, its a bad move to mix the two because of a few complications that can emerge during treatment. If an antihistamine needs to be given, this will have a synergistic effect with the alcohol resulting in possible loss of consciousness amongst other effects. In addition, the magnified drowsiness will make the evaluation of neurotoxicity that much more difficult. : Ignoring the affect alcohol has on judgement and on your pharmokinetics, it has an exceptionally bad effect on the image of all venomous reptile keepers when you let your safety protocols lapse and get caught out at it by the press. : The recent spate of bites (three bad ones to people I know, in one week!) has gotten me thinking about how I can discipline myself to practice better safety protocol and not take the kind of overconfident shortcuts that could result in a bite. I think one of the chief dangers of working with venomous reptiles is getting too easy and comfortable with them, and letting your guard down. You think you can drink that beer, or tail your cobras while wearing shorts and no shoes, or answer the phone while feeding the mambas with your other hand, and it's no big deal. Then it turns into a very big deal indeed and you find yourself having to explain to an embarrassingly large number of people why you ever thought it was a good idea to do that. : I suspect most of us who have worked around hots for a long time have gotten into some appallingly bad habits at home because we're comfortable and because there is no formal written safety protocol in our own houses that we must abide by or be fired. That is both the blessing and the curse of the private keeper. : I'm not just throwing stones at glass houses here; I have a few bad habits that could stand improvement. How about we all stand together on this issue and agree to help each other exercise more self-discipline? I'll whack you one upside the head for having a beer before handling, and you can yell at me for medicating rattlesnakes with no shoes on. I'd rather be a picky anal retentive than dead or missing chunks, and I'd prefer all my friends stay healthy too. Sound like a good deal? : Regards, : TT

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