ALWAYS REMEMBER: TIME IS VERY IMPORTANT. No 2 people react the same to a venomous snake bite. You could have an hour, more or you could have minutes. Don’t Delay, Treatment is a matter of LIFE or DEATH!
Venomous: If a Pit Viper (rattle snake, cotton mouth / water moccasin, copper head. etc….) bites a camper the venom injected is Hemo-Toxin (travels through the blood and attacks major organs/tissue).
Keep the victim: calm and sitting. Take off any jewelry (you may begin to swell and jewelry can act as a *tourniquet.
Keep the bite area below the heart.
Do not have the victim walk (if at all possible) or run to get help. If you are far from help then you have to walk, not run, to get medical treatment.
One person stays with the bite victim, other gets help. (This is the reason to always travel in a minimum of 3 people, not 2)
Time is VERY important and lowering heart rate keeps the venom from spreading as quickly..
Apply pressure directly on the bite area if a coral/cobra snake bites you and wrap until you get to a medical person. Pit vipers: DO NOT WRAP!
*A tourniquet should not be used. People that use them improperly have caused more damage than good.
Some signs / symptoms of a venomous bite: www.toxinology.com www.miamipoison.org www.tampapoison.org
- swelling (quickly and a lot)
- numbness
- discoloration of bite area
- sickness
- dizziness
- vomiting
- ptosis (droopy eyes)
- slurred speech (more so with neurotoxin: coral snake/cobra)
- blurred vision
- difficulty breathing (feels like a large weight in on your chest, cannot get your breathe)
- a metallic (metal) taste in mouth
- bleeding does NOT stop as quickly
- two puncture wounds
IF YOU ARE BITTEN: While on your way to medical treatment call Venom-1, Dade County Fire Rescue. Have the Dr. call him. They have the ability to have anti-venom in the air and on the way to you within an hour anywhere in the WORLD. Venom-1 mdfrantivnom@miamidade.gov
Write these numbers down.
non-urgent: 786-331-4454
Urgent: 786336-6600
NOTE: some of these symptoms will occur in non-venomous bites too or wounds, don’t “freak” out! There is a possibility that the bite is a Dry-Bite (meaning the venom did not enter the victim). You don’t take a chance let the professionals deal with it. “When in doubt have a doctor check it out!”
If a Coral Snake bites, the venom injected is Nero-Toxin (travels through the blood and attacks the nervous system).
Keep the victim calm and seek medical treatment immediately.
Types of Venom Toxins: Hemotoxin, Neurotoxin, Cardiotoxin, Myotoxin and Cytotoxin
Non-Venomous: If a non-venomous snake bites you or your child take these steps:
- Make absolute sure the snake bite is from a non-venomous snake. If in doubt, let a Doctor check it out.
- Most Important is to remain calm. Children’s emotions, state of mind, is based off the grown-up in charge.
- show true / genuine concern for the child / camper.
- clean bite with water and peroxide then put a bandage on it.
- tell the camper what a trooper he/she was during the whole ordeal.
- watch for signs of infection, if so, seek medical treatment.
Water -Snakes: Florida Water, Banded Water, Painted Water, Garter Snake. Queen Snake, etc…. are all water snakes.
These snakes live around wet to moist areas and spend a lot of time around the water. They eat fish, lizards, frogs and other small creatures (some frogs carry toxins harmful to humans). These snakes carry more bacteria in their teeth than other snakes bites. If a water snake bites you take care to clean the wound area extremely well to prevent any infection. Rare cases of persons with numerous allergies have gotten very ill after non-venomous snake bites.
Knowledge is Power and Power is Knowledge!
