A 34-year-old Colorado man believed to have been killed by the first Gila monster in nearly a century died from complications related to the reptile's venom, a coroner has determined.
Heart and liver problems also played a role in Christopher Ward's death last month, according to a medical report obtained by The Associated Press.
Ward was bitten by his pet dogma, Winston, and was hospitalized on February 12th. Less than four days later, the exotic pet's owner passed away.
“Something wasn't right,” Ward's girlfriend told investigators before entering the room where the sturdy reptile was holding its owner's hand.
The coroner's report said the bite lasted about four minutes.
Ward struggled to remain conscious and called for help after two hours. Ward's girlfriend told investigators that when Ward arrived, he “immediately began exhibiting symptoms,” including repeated vomiting. He suffered a seizure and respiratory illness in hospital and was placed on life support.
In the Denver suburb where Ward was bitten, it is illegal to possess a Gila monster without a permit. He had two slow-moving desert lizards and more than 20 spiders. The victim's girlfriend told authorities she wanted all the animals removed from the home as soon as possible.
Winston and his reptile housemate Potato were moved to the South Dakota Zoo, which is “focused on reptiles.” Ward purchased Winston at his October exhibition in Denver. The next month, he acquired potatoes from a breeder in Arizona.
The Arizona-Sonoma Desert Museum explains that Gila monsters are large, heavy-bodied animals, one of only two known venomous lizards, and “should not be handled.”
An Arizona State University professor who studies reptiles said the last known fatal Gila monster bite occurred around 1930, and the victim may have suffered from liver disease.
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