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50-Year-Old Central Florida Man Fighting For Life After Cobra Bite
POSTED: 3:23 pm EDT April 30,
2008
UPDATED: 7:05 am EDT May 1,
2008
BUSHNELL, Fla. -- A Sumter County man spent Wednesday night fighting for his life after he was bitten by an Indian cobra. A crew urgently flew in 20 vials of antivenin in an effort to save his life.
911 CALL: Man Calls For Help After Being Bitten By Cobra
ANIMAL NEWS: More Stories Of Animals In The News
The man, 50-year-old Jack Eugene Hildreth, has a state permit to keep venomous reptiles, but the snake bit him on the thumb during feeding. Hildreth has now been unconscious for hours and doctors at Orlando Regional Medical Center are trying to save his life; they need the antivenin to do it.A small plane from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Venom Response Team arrived Wednesday at Orlando Executive Airport with a box full of life-saving antivenin. Two shipments were flown in, the first early Wednesday morning and the second late in the afternoon.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said Hildreth, who lives on North West Street in Bushnell (see map), was bitten by his pet Indian cobra, a reptile with extremely dangerous venom. Channel 9 has learned the man was feeding the snake a mouse when it happened.The bite occurred in the man's home around 12:30am and he was able to call 911. He first went to Leesburg Regional Hospital, but was later airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where so far the victim has not responded to the antivenin treatment. He's said to be in critical condition and unconscious.The snake is not on the loose, so there is no danger to public.
911 CALL: Man Calls For Help After Being Bitten By CobraANIMAL NEWS: More Stories Of Animals In The NewsThe man, 50-year-old Jack Eugene Hildreth, has a state permit to keep venomous reptiles, but the snake bit him on the thumb during feeding. Hildreth has now been unconscious for hours and doctors at Orlando Regional Medical Center are trying to save his life; they need the antivenin to do it.A small plane from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Venom Response Team arrived Wednesday at Orlando Executive Airport with a box full of life-saving antivenin. Two shipments were flown in, the first early Wednesday morning and the second late in the afternoon.The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said Hildreth, who lives on North West Street in Bushnell (see map), was bitten by his pet Indian cobra, a reptile with extremely dangerous venom. Channel 9 has learned the man was feeding the snake a mouse when it happened.The bite occurred in the man's home around 12:30am and he was able to call 911. He first went to Leesburg Regional Hospital, but was later airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where so far the victim has not responded to the antivenin treatment. He's said to be in critical condition and unconscious.The snake is not on the loose, so there is no danger to public.
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