Lets be safe: Part 2:

[AndyS]

Bee stings:

When bees or wasps sting a person, they inject venom through their stinger into the skin of the victim. Wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets have stingers without barbs that are usually retracted upon stinging, and these insects can sting people multiple times. The honey bee has a barbed stinger that remains in the victim's skin with its venom sack attached. About 3% of people stung by bees and wasps have an allergic reaction to the sting, and up to 0.8% of bee sting victims experience the severe and life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

Most people will have only a localized reaction to a bee sting. In the normal reaction to a bee sting, the skin is reddened and painful. Swelling and/or itching may also occur, but the pain usually disappears over a few hours. In the so-called large local reaction to an insect sting, the swelling, redness, and pain may persist for up to a week. Areas adjacent to the site of the skin may also be involved in the large local reaction.

In anaphylactic reactions, victims experience wheezing, difficulty breathing, and a drop in blood pressure that leads to shock if not treated promptly. Around 50 people are killed each year in the U.S. due to severe anaphylactic reactions to bee stings. These type of reactions usually occur within minutes of the bee sting. Since most people who have allergies to bee stings will have a worsened reaction to every subsequent sting, those individuals with bee sting allergies should talk to their doctor about taking special precautions, including carrying an injectable form of the drug epinephrine (used to treat anaphylactic reactions) at all times.

Home owners dogs:

Some streams and rivers run right along some property lines.

Avoid the pooch. If you see an unleashed dog ahead of you, walk across the street. If it's not paying attention to you, whistle, sing or speak to it in order to make your presence known as you approach. As irritable as a dog might be to find you on his territory, he will be doubly more irritable if you've surprised him.

Be confident, but not threatening. Like chimps, dogs consider bared teeth and direct eye contact to be confrontational. If you're approached by a dog showing signs of aggression -- growling, hackles, barking -- stop moving. Running away will only arouse the dog's instinct and make him chase you. If you have an umbrella or a stick, hold it out in front of you to make yourself appear bigger. Stand up straight, keep your mouth closed, and your gaze level, as looking down can be construed as a sign of weakness. Don't hold your hand out to be sniffed and don't turn your back to the dog. If he loses interest in you at this point, back away slowly before turning around.

Try the sit, stop or stay commands. If this works, it may give you some time to call the attention of its owner. Police dogs are taught their commands in German, and some obedience schools use German commands. So try yelling Nein! or Platz! at the angered dog. Here's a list of other German commands.

Jam something in its mouth. A good tip for runners who frequently come across aggressive dogs is to run with a drum stick -- not a turkey leg, but a stick you use to play the drums. A rap across the nose often brings a lot of dogs to their senses, and if not, shoving the stick into the dog's mouth gives it something to bite on besides you. A jacket, sweater, bag or water bottle will do as well. If your hands are empty, offer it an arm -- hopefully wrapped in some protection. Don't let the dog drag you to the ground, where you will be infinitely more vulnerable. And don't struggle to get your arm free, you will just hurt yourself even more.

Rabid animals:

Animal Bites

Rabies is very serious and can make someone very sick — the person's brain may swell and he or she could die.

That's why it's so important for someone who's been bitten by an animal to see a doctor. This is especially important if a person is bitten by a wild animal, such as a squirrel or a bat. But any mammal can get rabies, including household pets, such as dogs, cats, and even ferrets. Household pets can get a rabies vaccine to protect them and their owners. Animals who are not mammals, such as birds, fish, turtles, and snakes, cannot carry rabies.

An animal infected with rabies carries the virus in its saliva, so if it bites somebody, the virus has a way into the person's body. It's possible to get rabies from an animal scratch, too. People sometimes describe animals that have rabies as "foaming at the mouth." This happens because the animal's nerves no longer work properly and it can't swallow its own saliva.

Falling down:

Tommy will vouch for this one !! Use a wading staff, be extra careful and take your time, if you don't think you can make, don't try it !!

Keep a first aid kit in your car and some things in your vest, a good thing to have is a whistle.

[Lard Almighty]

A good home remedy for bee/wasp stings is meat tenderizer. Mix it with water to form a paste, and apply it to the sting for a couple of minutes. Then rinse with ammonia.

The poison in bee/wasp stings is a protein. Meat tenderizer contains pineapple enzyme, which breaks proteins down. If the tenderizer is applied quickly after the sting, it should wind up being no worse than a mosquito bite.

Bear in mind, this remedy only works for those who are not allergic. For those who are, always carry epinephrine.

[dboyd101]

Is it true that there is no cure for rabies? There's a way to prevent, but no cure. At least that's what I thought...

So yeah, stay away from those things. Thanks again for the tips!

[Flukemeister1]

Originally Posted by dboyd101

Is it true that there is no cure for rabies? There's a way to prevent, but no cure. At least that's what I thought...

So yeah, stay away from those things. Thanks again for the tips!

There is no cure for rabies. The problem with it is that you can be exposed and it can take months for you to experience any symptoms. Once symptoms start it is only a matter of time. There have only been one or two cases ever documented of people recovering from rabies. With the shots which are much easier now, you have nearly 100% prevention but they need to be started right away following exposure. If you are bitten or exposed to an animal that is rabid it is very important to have the animal. It is extremely important that you do not destroy the head because the only way to confirm rabies in an animal is to examine the brain.

[Cuz]

Having been a beekeeper for a few years taught me alot. Honeybees will generally not sting you. You can walk through a field of flowers and never get stung. It is the last thing they want to do because they know they will die. The stinger pulls their insides out and causes their death. They are the only bee that loses their stinger. Yellow jackets give them a bad rap because they are similiar in color.
The reason hornets, yellow jackets, and wasps are so aggressive is because of their eating habits. They are meat eaters. They attack and kill their prey. This makes them aggressive. They will sting you mutiple times with their one stinger, which they don't lose. Honeybees eat nectar. They're sort of like human vegaterians. They are very passive.
Because of external and internal mites and other factors, honeybees are on the decline. It's a serious problem because they are pollinaters which are very much needed. No honeybees, no food. Learn the diference in bees. Don't kill honeybees. Thanks.

[HerringKing]

Don't forget coyotes. There are a few packs in the Pine Barrens and I've had a couple encounters while fishing. The signs say to make alot of noise and they will leave but I just quietly back away and go to another spot.