Amid a frantic scramble for snake antivenom in South Africa, snake bite victims are receiving half the prescribed dose - that's if they're lucky to be treated at all. Desperate veterinarians, meanwhile, are using expired doses to save pets bitten by snakes

South Africa used to have five years of antivenom in stock. Now, that stock has dwindled to almost nothing.

"This is not a shortage. It is an absolute catastrophe," according to Arno Naude from Snake Bite Assist. Naude has been assisting doctors and veterinarians with snake bite treatment for the past 15 years.

He said some hospitals were rationing the few vials of snake antivenom they had left, giving minimal doses to snake bite victims, hoping it would be sufficient to pull them through. Vets all over South Africa had run out as well.

By Sunday night, Naude had received word that there was no more antivenom that could be distributed.

"So, what we have is all we have and when that is gone we are in serious trouble. It is not time to panic but it is time to avoid getting bitten at all costs," Naude said.

He said if a patient was bitten multiple times they might need upwards of 20 vials of antivenom to save them.

"We had a guy bitten by a black mamba come in. He was already shaking and sweating. He was bitten three times. It took 23 vials of antivenom to save him....