Toddler bit twice by rattlesnake, received more than 30 vials of antivenom
Share this @internewscast.com

FLORENCE, Arizona (WJW) – A toddler is recovering in the hospital after she was bitten twice by a rattlesnake in Arizona.

Jacquelyn Reed, who lives with her family near Florence, Arizona, said the incident happened while she was walking with her young daughter, 15-month-old Cara, outside their home late last week.

“I left her side to throw a piece of trash away 50 feet away. While I was gone for less than 10 seconds, it seems the snake got her twice,” she wrote on Facebook. “I came back and she was crying, I saw her foot and the snake tucked behind a propane tank against our house.”

Toddler bit twice by rattlesnake, received more than 30 vials of antivenom
Credit: Jacquelyn Reed

The family rushed Cara to the emergency room, where medical professionals started giving her antivenom.

“Sweet Cara was neurologically decompensating pretty quickly and began vomiting quite a lot as she was becoming lethargic,” Reed continued in the post.

Cara was intubated and flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit.

“She has received quite a bit of antivenom, and the team here has been more than on top of it,” the mother said over the weekend. “They are keeping a super close eye on her foot, the blood flow and the swelling but keeping her intubated for her pain control.”

The child’s aunt, Delia Reed, wrote on a GoFundMe page that Cara received more than 30 vials of antivenom during treatment.

Reed has been documenting her daughter’s time in the hospital, showing photos of Cara with oxygen tubes and a blackened foot.

Toddler bit twice by rattlesnake, received more than 30 vials of antivenom
Credit: Jacquelyn Reed

At times, Cara’s oxygen levels dropped as low as 25%, and doctors told the family that her foot injury is “one of the most severe,” Reed wrote on Tuesday.

“We will be looking to see what kind of recovery she can make, but right now, nothing is off the table as far as her long term damage goes,” she said.

But the family has shared some uplifting news in recent days.

“Cara was able to come off of the heliox and progress to no oxygen at all by the end of the day!” the mother said on Thursday. “This morning we decided to stop her tube feeds and see if we can encourage eating again. Hopefully she starts to eat enough to where we can take her home without a tube feed!”

Toddler bit twice by rattlesnake, received more than 30 vials of antivenom
Credit: Jacquelyn Reed

According to Reed, doctors are waiting for Cara’s foot to “finish its progression” before follow-up tests to determine if the venom is still in the toddler’s system, causing internal bleeding.

In the latest update, Reed thanked everyone for showing their love and support, saying, “Our sweet warrior continues to fight a hard fight and we are so cheering her on!”

“We are so blessed,” Reed told affiliate WJW on Thursday. “Every MD who comes by to see her again says that she’s a miracle. She shouldn’t be here.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, venomous bites, which occur when a snake injects venom into the body during a bite, are considered dangerous and often life-threatening.

If a victim is bit more than once, according to the Cleveland Clinic, they could get multiple multiple doses of venom.

“This can increase the severity of your symptoms and lessen the amount of time to get treatment to stop severe symptoms from affecting you,” the clinic said.

As of Thursday evening, the GoFundMe page has raised more than $17,000 to help the family with medical expenses.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Iran’s Supreme Leader Breaks Silence with First Public Appearance Since Start of Iran-Israel Conflict

TEHRAN – On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his…

Devastating Flash Floods in Central Texas: What Made Them So Severe?

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In the overnight hours of July 3 and 4,…

Could a Chinese Brand’s Blood Orange Cold Brew Be America’s Next Coffee Trend?

Chinese chain Luckin Coffee has launched its initial two U.S. outlets this…

Kristi Noem Discusses Texas Storm Warning Alerts and Related Concerns

Flooding has led to an annual average of over 125 fatalities in…

Texas Officials Under Fire for Handling of Massive and Fatal Floods

KERRVILLE, Texas – On the eve of the Fourth of July holiday,…

Ukraine Reports Striking Russian Air Base Amidst Wave of Drone Attacks

Ukraine reported a successful strike on a Russian air base on Saturday,…

2 Dead in Texas Floods, Over 10 People Missing

AUSTIN (KXAN) – At least two people have died and 10 others…

"Challenging Day Ahead: Search Continues for Missing Children and Adults in Kerrville"

AUSTIN (KXAN) The city of Kerrville and Kerr County provided another update…

Mass Chorus Gathering Celebrates Estonia’s Rich Cultural Heritage

TALLINN – Over 21,000 choir singers filled the rainy air with their…

“DA Cook Jones Criticizes Leaders’ Statements as ‘Premature and Problematic'”

SAVANNAH, Ga. — After the incident at Oglethorpe Mall, Chatham County District…

“Texas Legislators Express Heartache Over Fatal Flooding”

Texas lawmakers on both sides of the aisle took a break from…

Storm Team 3: Monitoring Chantal & Local Effects Expected

Passing showers will continue tonight into Sunday. Winds will remain breezy, but…