Scorpions and Spiders

Dive into the second half of our envenomation series! Dr. Jonathan Ford, a UC Davis Medical Toxicologist and Professor of Emergency Medicine, returns to the podcast to tackle scorpions and spiders. We’re going beyond the basics to discuss the “why” and “how” of these bites and stings. Learn about the neurotoxic effects of bark scorpion venom and the life-threatening airway risks. Explore the mechanism behind black widow bites that leads to intense pain and spasms, and the crucial role of antivenom in severe cases. Plus, we’re setting the record straight on a common myth—the brown recluse—and the proper supportive care for its nasty bite. Join us to discover the latest evidence-based approaches that could change how you manage your next bite or sting. Have you had a patient with a serious or challenging envenomation? How did you manage it? Share your story with us social media @empulsepodcast or connect with us on ucdavisem.com Hosts: Dr. Julia Magaña , Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Dr. Sarah Medeiros , Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis Guest : Dr. Jonathan Ford , Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicologist at UC Davis Resources: Quan D. North American poisonous bites and stings. Crit Care Clin. 2012 Oct;28(4):633-59. doi: 10.1016/j.ccc.2012.07.010. PMID: 22998994. Levine M, Friedman N. Terrestrial envenomations in pediatric patients: identification and management in the emergency department. Pediatr Emerg Med Pract. 2021 Sep;18(9):1-24. Epub 2021 Sep 2. PMID: 34403224. . ***\ Thank you to the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine for supporting this podcast and to Orlando Magaña at OM Productions for audio production services.

You can listen to Scorpions and Spiders online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Scorpions and Spiders is an episode from EM Pulse by UC Davis Emergency Department.

This episode is 18:50 long.

This episode was published on Sep 19, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from EM Pulse when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.