The fearsome Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake is considered the most dangerous snake in Ontario, but what happens if one of these venomous creatures actually bites you?

Ontario's hinterland lacks the menacing threats you'd find lurking in warmer regions of the world, but there are still some potentially deadly animals found right here in Canada's most populous province, and the massasauga is likely right up there near the top of most lists.

While the massasauga is often mistakenly referred to as Ontario's only venomous snake (there is one other), it is indeed the only rattlesnake species present in the province, and the only slithering creature native to Ontario that packs a potent enough punch to potentially kill a human.

That being said, there have only been two known fatalities in the province resulting from a massasauga bite, and no confirmed deaths in the last four decades.

But it's still good to know how to react should you ever find yourself on the receiving end of a rattlesnake bite.

First and foremost, experts stress that victims should not panic, as a bite doesn't necessarily mean envenomation, and hasty movement can increase your heart rate and hasten the venom's flow into your bloodstream.

The West Parry Sound Health Centre (WPSHC), which serves as the province's antivenom depot, explains that one-quarter of all rattlesnake bites are "dry" bites, so there's a decent chance that you will be walking away unscathed.

Still, the odds are good that the bite was not dry, and reducing movement will be your main tool in reducing the spread. Next, WPSHC says that bite victims should clean the wound with soap and water and remove all jewelry from the affected limb — which will come in handy when swelling sets in.

This is where WPSHC suggests you dial 9-1-1 and get to a hospital "as quickly and safely as possible." At no point should you put on a tourniquet, apply ice, or try to apply suction to the bite area.

So, what happens if you opt to delay medical treatment?

A 2018 scientific paper on the effects of massasauga venom covers exactly this scenario.

The study, titled "Severe coagulopathy after a massasauga rattlesnake bite," examines the case of an otherwise healthy 25-year-old man who was bitten on his left big toe while walking at night in open-toed sandals in Ontario's Eastern Georgian Bay region.

The man opted to delay medical treatment by a full 22 hours, and this is what happened next.

Photos included in the study show extreme swelling in the man's left foot seen 12 hours after the untreated bite, along with a hemorrhagic bleb at the site of the bite with two visible puncture marks. A massive 12cm by 6cm hematoma, or blood clot, was found near his groin area.

Laureano, M., & Crowther, M. (2018). Severe coagulopathy after a massasauga rattlesnake bite. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal, 190(7), E191. 

The man was treated with a total of ten vials of antivenom, and his symptoms abated.

However, this is just one possible outcome in what has proven an unpredictable range of symptoms associated with venom-related coagulopathy.

According to the 2018 study, "Venom-related coagulopathy can affect almost any component of the hemostatic system, and snakebites have been associated with platelet dysfunction, vessel wall breakdown, prothrombin overactivation and fibrinogen degradation."