Snakebite Treatment

[44hunter]

Since I live in snake country I would like to know how to properly care for a snakebite should it happen. I realize you could be plenty far from humanity and I wanna know what I can do to maximize chances of survival.

[Buckles]

go to a hospital.

[44hunter]

go to a hospital.

Maybe I should've asked what to do to increase my chances of making it to a hospital..

Sometimes I could be an hour or more from the vehicle and still another half to the hospital.

[Dough Boy]

I can't say, we don't have many snakes at all around here, nor scorpions or giant spiders, I have always wanted to hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim but I know I will run away screaming like a little girl the first time I see some creepy critter anywhere near me. Though I have been in the woods at time where the mosquitoes seem to have a 7 foot wingspan

[Brutane]

Basically in North America: keep the extremity with the bite immobilized and lower than the heart. Keep the patient calm and limit their exertion as it raises heart rate and blood pressure thus hastening the spread of the venom. Get the patient to a hospital ASAP. This might mean calling 911 or using a personal locator beacon (SPOT) to call in the SAR or air medical depending on the location.

Do NOT attempt to suck out the poison. Do NOT place a tourniquet on the extremity. Do NOT apply heat or cold to the bite.

[OsoGrande]

Basically in North America: keep the extremity with the bite immobilized and lower than the heart. Keep the patient calm and limit their exertion as it raises heart rate and blood pressure thus hastening the spread of the venom. Get the patient to a hospital ASAP. This might mean calling 911 or using a personal locator beacon (SPOT) to call in the SAR or air medical depending on the location.

Do NOT attempt to suck out the poison. Do NOT place a tourniquet on the extremity. Do NOT apply heat or cold to the bite.

I've heard that same advice before, but I've never quite understood how a tourniquet wouldn't help the situation. Is it just that the poison would be long past it before it could be tightened down?

[salve7]

Lop off the limb bitten with a knife. Prevents the spread of the poison. This system works up to 4 times... 4 1/2 if it happens while urinating.

[Snapshot762]

I've heard that same advice before, but I've never quite understood how a tourniquet wouldn't help the situation. Is it just that the poison would be long past it before it could be tightened down?

I'ts been a few years since i was an EMT, but we were taught to put a consticting band, NOT a tourniquet a couple of inches above the bite. The difference between a constricting band and a tourniquet if i remember right, is that a tourniquet cuts off blood flow (not good). A constricting band (we were taught to use a blood pressure cuff) is tightened to the point that a pulse past the band is lost, but then the band is slightly loosened to restore pulse, but still slow blood flow and thereby slowing the spread of poison in the bite.

NEVER CUT OR SUCK POISON FROM THE BITE!

This causes a big infection risk in the snakebite victim, and a potential poisoning risk to the individual sucking out the poison.

[StoneCold]

Take some Benedryl and sleep it off like a Honey Badger. May not work with rattlesnake venom.

I've heard that same advice before, but I've never quite understood how a tourniquet wouldn't help the situation. Is it just that the poison would be long past it before it could be tightened down?

It's only a good idea if you don't want to keep the particular part beyond the tourniquet. It would become extremely necrotic with the high concentration of venom and lack of circulation.

[Andy the Aussie]

As you may imagine we get a fair bit of traing on snake/spider bite here whenever a recertification is required. The present theory is that should the bite occur on a limb/finger etc then a pressure bandage should be wound on the full length of the limb. It use to be that you started at the bite point and bandaged away to the end of the limb and back up but now it is just a constrictive bandage applied. Circulation should not be cut off to the limb and the bandage should not be so tight that it requires loosening at all after. It WILL be uncomfortable but it beats dying !! The wound should NEVER be washed or wiped prior to the bandage being applied and once done the victim should be immobilised if at all possible. Now if alone you may have few choices but to get yourself out, if it is an absolute MUST then it should be done with the least exertion as possible. If not bitten on a limb then coveriung the wound and seeking help is really your onlu choice.

Andy

[44hunter]

I know hospital is the key to surviving but sometimes on hikes or hunts its just not viable to be at a hospital within minutes. I see a bunch of water moccasins while fishing but its the rattlers that worry me.

[salve7]

If it makes you feel better rattle snake bite deaths are rare. A lot of the bites are dry or contain little venom. It would still hurt like a bitch and of course there is still the rare chance of death so I will continue to watch where I put my hands while rock climbing but I'm more worried about the extreme discomfort...

[Battle Creek Knives]

If it makes you feel better rattle snake bite deaths are rare. A lot of the bites are dry or contain little venom. It would still hurt like a bitch and of course there is still the rare chance of death so I will continue to watch where I put my hands while rock climbing but I'm more worried about the extreme discomfort...

fact:
Dry bites are referred to as “misses,” no venom injected due to the lack of venom, a glancing blow, or penetration could not occur because of the clothing worn by the individual. Dry bites account for about 20-30% of all snakebites.

Only about 12-15 people die from 'rattle' snake bites a year in the USA, and that's probably because most of us have our eyes and ears peeled when treading on their terrain... but what about corral snakes, and other vipers say cottonmouths, copperheads etc, I wonder what the numbers are for 'snake bites' in general

[salve7]

Corral snakes are very shy so prob not many, copperheads only kill children, elderly, or the really unlucky and vipers kill 2 out of every 3 humans

[Battle Creek Knives]

btw, the above post of mine is a quote from statistics.. I would've posted link but there was way to much info pertaining to snakes...

Yeah my biggest concern here is copperheads for my kids, they blend Extremely well in the leaves and debris in the woods.. My dog got bit by a copperhead couple years ago and with a couple treatments of benedryl she was only lethargic for a few days and back to normal... Vet said she'll develop an immunity to the venom if she gets bit again, well she did (she likes snakes ) and she just didn't eat that day and was back to normal the next..

I have heard that dry bites often occur with cottonmouths, not sure of the validity..