[pct-l] Spider bite meds?

[Don Billings]

Dan,

We (in the West) definitely have both black widows and brown recluse spiders.

But, living in CA all my life, I've never been bitten by either even though I've seen plenty of black widows (usually in dark garages). 
The brown recluse I've not seen here despite them being here. They really like wood piles.

As someone suggested, a bite from either one can't be self treated and requires medical attention. The only
thing anyone could do on the trail is to clean the affected area to prevent secondary infection.

Don



----- Original Message ----
From: Dan Africk <danstheman at gmail.com>
To: pct-l at backcountry.net; Bigfoot CDA <bigfootcda at gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, March 25, 2010 8:32:08 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Spider bite meds?

What meds are you referring to? Other than a NSAID(ibuprofin or naproxin)
for pain and swelling, or maybe a prescription pain killer, I'm not aware of
anything that would help for a serious bite like brown recluse or black
widow. Do they have those out west?

"There have been posts about snake bites and carrying antibiotics. There
were
a couple of thrus last year in Washington that were scrambling to get meds
for spider bites that could have ended their hikes. In 08 there was also a
hiker at South Kennedy meadows that had to get off the trail for a few days
because of a spider bite. Another good reason to carry meds. Bigfoot"
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